After spending a good bit of money on proper irrigation and fertilizer, have you ever looked outside your window to spot an unsightly ring of bright green grass or mushrooms? Fairy rings, as they are called, distress many homeowners who dream of having a beautiful lawn. These bacteria induced rings, although not necessarily bad for your lawn, can infuriate homeowners who give special attention to their lawns. Well, we’re here to tell you that if a fairy ring springs up in your yard, don’t panic!
Where do they come from?
Despite legend, fairy rings have no connection to elves, fairies, or other supernatural origins. Fairy rings are simply the result of saprophytic fungi that degrades organic matter. That being said, although unsightly, fairy rings actually do your lawn a service! When fungi breaks down the over abundance of organic material in your soil, rich green grass can result and sometimes even the growth of mushrooms! The ring-like shape is a result of underground living edges of the fungi.
What causes fairy rings?
In an otherwise healthy lawn, what would cause an abundance of organic material in the soil to promote the growth of saprophytic fungi? Two words: over fertilization. If you tend to go a bit overboard on lawn fertilizers, you may be more likely to see fairy rings.
How do I get rid of fairy rings?
All fairy rings will go away over time; however, if you want to speed up the process, there are a few steps you can take to do so. First, aerate your grass, especially over the fairy ring area, so that water can easily penetrate the soil. Don’t mow your grass, as short, longer blades and pieces of cut grass will help hide the ring. You can also test the soil to get a better idea of what nutrients are lacking. The bottom line is, fairy rings do go away over time. Be patient and don’t panic!