What to Do About Fairy Rings

Fairy rings, while somewhat whimsical sounding, are actually not a good thing. They are a result of the growth of any of a number of different species of mushrooms (about 50 different mushrooms are known to form these rings. See site).

These rings usually start small and begin to spread a little bit each year. The main problems that they cause are discoloration of the lawn and the loss of nutrients in within the ring itself. This can cause yellow or brown areas.

If you have ever dealt with this disease, you know that it is extremely difficult to completely eradicate. In my years as a landscaper, I never came across anybody that was able to totally eliminate a fairy ring without professional intervention. There are some ways to treat the problem cosmetically and, unless you are dealing with a lawn that requires a very high level of maintenance(like a golf course), this is definitely your best option.

The best way to deal with fairy rings is to simply fertilize and water heavier in the area within the ring. Since discoloration is the main effect of this disease, and the discoloration is due to the mushrooms sucking nutrients out of the soil that your grass would ordinarily be able to use, you will need to add more fertilizer to help your grass keep up. With frequent fertilization and watering, the appearance of the ring can be greatly minimized to the point where it is nearly invisible.

Aeration(poking holes in the ground) is also helpful for the area within the ring, as it allows the grass to take in more water and fertilizer. You don't have to rent a aerator, or "plugger", as some call them. You can use a stake or other similarly-shaped instrument. There are even aerator shoes you can buy like that let you walk along the grass to punch the holes(if you are interested in this option, try this link).

If you are really serious about attempting to get rid of the fairy ring, you can try digging up the sod around the ring so that the mushrooms have no new grass to live in. This is really difficult and frustrating, since it is extremely easy to drop dirt off the sod you're removing. This might not sound like a bad thing, but there is likely mushroom spores in that sod, and when some of the dirt comes off, it essentially seeds the mushrooms wherever they fall. I have never seen this treatment work in 13 years of landscaping.

Finally, if the above efforts do not improve the appearance of your lawn to the degree you want it to, you should call a landscaper. There is a product available(we used one called ProStar) that will actually eliminate the mushrooms. This can be very costly and should only be tried by a professional. Depending on the results, you may need a second course to finish off the mushrooms.

So if you have fairy rings, the good news is it won't seriously damage your lawn. The bad news is, it's almost impossible to get rid of. Your best bet is treat it with fertilizer and water until you get it to match the ring. Good luck. While mushrooms are in many cases a good thing(as they indicate that your lawn has adequate fertilizer and water), fairy rings can tend to have a somewhat parasitic effect on a lawn.