Fairy rings (Marasmius oreades)
Marasmius oreades, also known as Fairy Ring, is one of the most annoying lawn problems in England.The fungus is contained in the soil and penetrates to a depth of 30 cm. It attacks a central point and develops outward.
The disease spreads through lawns in the form of spores. These spores are spread by wind, air, water, and human foot traffic.
This disease appears in early summer as circular bands or rings where the grass is green, while adjacent areas exhibit faster growth and a darker color. The bands vary in width from 10-30 cm, and the rings vary in diameter from 0.9 to 60 meters or more, depending on the number of years of undisturbed growth. Along the inner edge of these rings, the grass will soon become severely weakened and often die temporarily. Consequently, the rings usually consist of a vigorous, dark green outer band surrounding a band of dull-colored grass, which in turn may contain a patch of normal grass in the center. In smaller rings, weakened grass may occupy the entire central area. During rainy periods, the mother fungus produces fruiting bodies, commonly known as mushrooms, along the circumference of the ring.
HOW TO TREAT FAIRY RING CASES
Fairy ring is a very difficult disease to control. This is due to the fact that the fungus is contained within the soil. The turf could be removed and the underlying soil replaced up to a depth of 30 cm. However, this method is very expensive, difficult to implement, and not always effective due to reinfestation.
A practical way to address the problem is to take a faucet sprinkler, position it in the center of the ring, and water thoroughly. The water will flood the lawn and wash the disease away from the plants. Then overseed the damaged areas with a seed mix of more disease-resistant varieties. The fungus will still be present in the soil, but the key to the problem will be keeping the lawn healthy and dense so it can better resist a resurgence of the fungus. Eliminating the fungus is difficult, but with good lawn maintenance, it will be practical and effective to suppress it and prevent its development.
Fairy ring is a very difficult disease to control. This is due to the fact that the fungus is contained within the soil. The turf could be removed and the underlying soil replaced up to a depth of 30 cm. However, this method is very expensive, difficult to implement, and not always effective due to reinfestation.
A practical way to address the problem is to take a faucet sprinkler, position it in the center of the ring, and water thoroughly. The water will flood the lawn and wash the disease away from the plants. Then overseed the damaged areas with a seed mix of more disease-resistant varieties. The fungus will still be present in the soil, but the key to the problem will be keeping the lawn healthy and dense so it can better resist a resurgence of the fungus. Eliminating the fungus is difficult, but with good lawn maintenance, it will be practical and effective to suppress it and prevent its development.
