DISEASE ID · FUNGAL DISEASE
Fairy ring
Also called Fairy rings, mushroom rings
A ring or arc in the lawn, made of dark green grass, dead grass or mushrooms. A fungus feeding on dead material in the soil causes it.
How to spot it
- A ring or arc in the lawn, sometimes many feet across
- A band of darker, greener, faster-growing grass
- Or a band of brown, dry, dead grass
- Mushrooms or puffballs along the ring, often after rain
- More than one of these can show up on the same ring
Why it shows up
The fungus feeds on dead plant material like thatch, old roots and buried stumps. The dark green ring comes from nitrogen released as that material breaks down. The dead ring happens when the fungus makes the soil repel water, so the roots go dry.
How we treat it
We'll identify it on a visit and recommend the right fix. It's mostly a lawn-care fix: aerate, cut back thatch, and water the dry ring deeply. Feeding the rest of the lawn can hide a dark green ring. Spraying is usually not the answer for a home lawn, so if you want to go further, we'll talk through it with you.
What you can do
- Water the brown ring extra, slowly and deeply.
- Mow off the mushrooms. They come and go with the rain.
- Have old buried stumps and roots removed.
WANT IT HANDLED?
Let a licensed applicator take it from here.
Tell us about your lawn. We’ll get back to you with a free quote.
Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138