Fairy rings (2024)

FAQs

What do fairy rings indicate? ›

Some cultures believe that they are portals to another world, while others say that the mushrooms are simply used as dinner tables for fairies. There is also the belief that they bring good luck and that they are a sign of a fairy village underground.

Numerous legends focus on mortals entering a fairy ring—and the consequences. One superstition is that anyone who steps into an empty fairy ring will die at a young age. A 20th-century tradition from Somerset calls the fairy ring a "galley-trap" and says that a murderer or thief who walks in the ring will be hanged.

Fairy rings are caused by many different soil-inhabiting fungi of the class Basidiomycetes. These fungi can cause the development of rings or arcs of deep green grass as well as unthrifty or dead grass. Fairy ring fungi do not attack grass directly but break down organic matter in the soil.

European superstitions routinely warned against entering a fairy ring. French tradition reported that fairy rings were guarded by giant bug-eyed toads that cursed those who violated the circles. In other parts of Europe, entering a fairy ring would result in the loss of an eye.

Fairy rings are common on lawns and playing fields, and are normally caused by the fairy ring champignon Marasmius oreades. The species is quite harmless, unless you require blemish-free turf.

By studying aerial photographs it is possible to estimate the age of fairy rings. In Colorado, rings were reckoned to be 250 - 400 years old, and one in Belfort (France) was found to be about 700 years old, being one quarter of a mile in diameter! ding grass tends to lack colour.

In areas affected by a Type I fairy ring, the thatch and soil are extremely dry and repel water. Type II fairy rings appear as rings or arcs of turf that are dark green and grow faster than the surrounding turf. In a Type III fairy ring, mushrooms or puffballs are produced in a ring or arc.

A teaspoon of liquid dish detergent in a gallon of water can be sprayed on the surface before watering. This acts as a wetting agent, helping the water soak into the soil. A complete soaking of the area, in addition to a fertilizer application, can help remedy the issue and may even eradicate the fairy ring.

To treat the mushrooms of a fairy circle, the mushrooms can be mowed, kicked or raked out as soon as you notice them, preferably before the caps open and the spores disperse.

How do you get rid of fairy ring in your yard? ›

In his book, The Chemical-Free Lawn (Rodale Press, 1989), Warren Schultz says of fairy rings: “The only sure way to eradicate the mushroom is to dig out the turf and soil to a depth of 2 feet, extending outward at least 1 foot beyond the edge of the circle.

Type I symptoms manifest in a ring of wilted or dead grass. This is the most common type of fairy ring in golf courses. To get rid of Type I fairy ring, aerate the lawn and drench the soil with a wetting agent. A wetting agent is a chemical solution that allows water to penetrate and spread in the soil.

What Is Fairy Ring? Mushrooms (types of Basidiomycetes) growing in a circular pattern are commonly called a fairy ring. This strange lawn phenomenon usually starts as a small circle of dark or brown grass, but over time it gets bigger as the fungus grows.

The body of the fungus (called the mycelium) lives underground, and it grows outward in a circle in search of more and more nutrients. The mushrooms spring up from the edge of the mycelium, especially in wet weather, and therefore form a ring.

Fairy rings are circular areas of abnormal turf growth that are most commonly found on lawns and golf courses where soils have high levels of organic matter, and in areas where trees have recently been removed. Due to their mysterious, circular appearance, fairy rings have been of interest since ancient times.

Some legends say that fairy rings are, in fact, good luck. While Welsh tradition doesn't recommend entering them, it is good fortune to grow crops around them and allow livestock to feed nearby. They are said to improve fertility and fortune.

Probably the most pervasive tales derived from English, Celtic, French, and Scandinavian folklore: Fairy rings were mystical gathering places created by dancing fairies and elves, and the mushrooms were convenient resting stools for when they tired; any human that dared to enter the ring would be forced to dance until ...