Fairy rings: types and management

Fairy rings are caused by dozens of different soil fungi, and they are among the most persistent lawn problems precisely because the management options are limited. The fungi are deep in the soil, their mycelium is hydrophobic (repels water), and there is no single fungicide that reliably.

Fairy rings are caused by dozens of different soil fungi, and they are among the most persistent lawn problems precisely because the management options are limited. The fungi are deep in the soil, their mycelium is hydrophobic (repels water), and there is no single fungicide that reliably eliminates them. Understanding the type you have determines whether management is cosmetic or structural.

What causes fairy rings

Per Penn State Center for Turfgrass Science, fairy rings are caused by the mycelial growth of basidiomycete fungi growing outward from a central point in the soil. As the fungi break down organic matter (buried wood, stumps, construction debris, thatch), they produce nutrients that affect the turf above.

Over 60 fungal species have been documented to cause fairy rings. They are not parasitic — they do not attack the grass directly in most cases. Their damage comes from physical and chemical effects on the soil.