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Fairy Rings: Bringing Back the Magic

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wild wonder of fairy rings Steeped in the lore and ancient tradition of wizardry, witchcraft and other things beyond us, is a poorly understood mythical mycological magic—and it might be growing right out your front door. Grab your kids and your best storytelling voice. Fairy rings, sometimes known as elf or pixie rings, are those circular rings in your lawn, sometimes bordered by mushrooms or greener grass. They can sometimes be in the shape of an arc, too.

Let the Magic Begin . . .

Get the kids outside and spin a tale of what thrives within the ring. The narrative is up to you: maybe stepping into one of these rings brings either good fortune, or frightening encounters with fire-breathing dragons. Or maybe the fairies want to be heard, because they have a special message for the youngsters: tie those shoes tight, kids; legend has it the only way the fairies will hear you is if you run around the circle nine times, in the direction of the sun, on a day when there’s going to be a full moon. Or perhaps the fairies can only hear them if they clean up their room and brush their teeth…you’re the storyteller, after all. Fairy rings can be a fun way to get kids working outside with you, and with some imagination, can excite them about going to visit the rings and becoming involved in all the stuff to explore right outside their door. Fortunately, fairy rings can be more of a nuisance than anything else (or joy if you ask your kids), and they don’t really present any serious risk to your lawn, besides being an eyesore. If you do want them gone, tell the kids that the fairies need help battling the enemy, who hides out in the mushrooms. Or they need to stomp down on the rings to restore the power of their invisibility cloak. Of course, for a more traditional—but considerably less fun—approach, consider the following tips:

Best Ways to Control Fairy Rings

  • Core Aeration is an effective treatment to control fairy rings. Spring can yield the best results, and in severe cases some aeration in the fall can help, too.
  • There are control materials that people can use, but we find they produce inconsistent results and are not worth the cost.
  • In severe cases, removing the sod and cultivating the soil underneath it for several weeks can help.
  • The darker green circles can be masked with a nitrogen application so the surrounding grass matches the color.
  • Mixing soil from two different rings can stop the growth and spread of the rings. For unknown reasons, when fairy rings intersect, they stop growing.
  • Turf within fairy rings will begin to die due to the hydrophobic (dry) state the fungus growing in the soil creates. This gets worse as the fungus establishes itself in the soil, so be sure to water heavily and attend to fairy rings before they get worse.
  • Fairy rings are more prevalent during certain times of the year; being vigilant during these times can help with control.
Some say destroying a fairy ring can anger the fairies, making them cast spells of bad luck and misfortune. We’re not so sure about those claims, but if you’re superstitious, give us a call. If you have questions about Fairy Rings in your lawn, contact your Neighborhood Lawn Care Professional at Spring-Green.