Hazard or good luck, what do you believe?

Type: Fungus

Other Names: Fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring, or pixie ring

Appearance: Fairy ring is just as magical as it sounds! It’s a naturally occurring ring or arch of mushrooms

Risk: Generally found in woods but can appear in grasslands or rangelands; appear from a few spores of mycelium. Rabbits may contribute to the growth because they clip the grass blades short and then leave nitrogen-rich droppings; most common on sandy soils that are low in water and fertility

Outlook: The fungi can deplete the soil of nutrients, like nitrogen, causing plants within the circle to be stressed, lead to discoloration, and maybe even death. However, some of the fungi produce chemicals that cause rapid growth of neary plants.

How to Control Fairy Ring

Prevention

Like many other lawn woes, fairy ring can be prevented with good lawn care practices, including:

• Water Well: Your grass needs adequate water to thrive. It prefers long soakings about two to three times weekly instead of daily watering, depending on the rain levels from the week.
• Reseed patchy spots: Grass roots go deep into the ground and take up a lot of space, taking away the valuable real estate weeds need to thrive.
• Aerate Your Soil: Soil compaction keeps air and water from reaching the deeper levels of soil where grass roots grow, so only plants that grow nearer to the surface, like weeds, can thrive.
• Check Your Lawn’s pH Level: If your soil’s pH level isn’t neutral (about 7.0), your grass doesn’t have the right environment to thrive, but weeds might. To balance the pH level, your soil may also need applications of lime.

Treatment

Once a fairy ring appears, there is no natural control. Most fungicides have proven to not be effective. Some homeowners use fertilizers rich in nitrogen to discourage growth and remove the mushrooms by regular mowing and raking.

Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape knows just what your lawn needs. We used science-based practices to ensure your yard is as healthy as can be and can fend off fairy ring troubles. Our lawn care packages offer all-around care for your yard. Call us today at 765-771-9998 for a free quote and more information.

Need Help with Fairy Ring?

Call Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape today at 765-771-9998 and let's talk about how we can help you with Fairy Ring and other Indiana lawn diseases.

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