What are fairy rings and why are they in my yard?
Fairy Rings Richard L. Duble, Turfgrass Specialist Texas Cooperative Extension Text and images copyright © Richard Duble. Fairy rings appear in any lawn, golf course or other turf areas during spring and summer months. The rings appear as either dark green or brown circular bands ranging in size from a few inches to 50 feet in diameter. The fairy ring fungus grows outward from a central point at a rate varying from a few inches to as much as several feet a year. Where several distinct rings converge, fungus activity stops at the points of contact. As a result, the circular shape of the original rings is replaced by a scalloped effect. Mushrooms frequently develop in a circle outside of the dark green or brown ring during spring and fall after a period of heavy rainfall or irrigation. Centuries ago people thought that the mushrooms appeared where “fairies” had danced the night before-hence, the name, fairy ring. Disease Cycle. The disease is caused by any one of a number of soil-inhabit
