Fairy Rings and Mushrooms | Olympia & DuPont Lawn Care Company

Fairy rings are dark green circles that appear in the grass.  Mushrooms appear in the rings when there is plenty of soil moisture.

Fairy rings are caused by fungi in the soil that feed on decaying organic matter like a buried log or where a tree once stood.  The dark green rings show up in the same location every year.  The dark green color is from a release of nitrogen caused by the fungi-induced decomposition.  As these areas grow more fungal mass, they can become hydrophobic or difficult for water to penetrate and become drought stressed.

What can you do?

-Fertilize and water to promote grass growth

-Aerate and apply lime to help water penetration

The condition is temporary and regularly maintained yards will recover quickly.