Fairy Ring

Occurs in all turfgrasses.

Symptoms: Damaged or dead turf from drought stress. They may have fruiting bodies present.

Causes: 

• Hydrophobic (water-repellent) thatch and soil.
• Accumulation of ammonium to toxic levels.
• Release of hydrogen cyanide or other toxins into the root zone.

Symptoms: Rings of dark green or quickly growing turf. These symptoms usually occur early in the season, and indicate that more severe Type I symptoms may follow. They are most evident in under-fertilized turf. They may have fruiting bodies present.

Cause: 

• Release of nitrogen and other nutrients into the soil.

Symptoms: Mushrooms or other fruiting bodies produced in a ring with no visible effect on turf growth. They are most common during periods of wet weather preceded by drought.

Causes: 

• Mycelial mass buildup around the outer ring

• Fairy Rings are more severe on light soils, which have low fertility and low moisture content.
• Turf with a significant thatch layer.
• Drier areas have significantly more Fairy Rings than higher rainfall areas.

• Avoid using root zone mixes with high levels of undecomposed organic materials.
• Reduce thatch by vertical cutting.
• Core aerify.
• Irrigate deeply.
• Use nitrogen and iron fertilisers to mask symptoms on some types of Fairy Ring.
• Use soil wetting agents to help penetrate hydrophobic areas.

Fairy Rings are more prevalent and damaging on lightly water and fertilised fairways and lawns than on well irrigated and fertilised turf.
Fairy Rings typically occur in spring and summer, however they can also occur on cool-season turfgrass in mild winter climates.
The most common Basidiomycetes in Australia are species of Lycoperdon; Marasmius; Tricholoma; however there are over 50 causal organisms.