fairy ring

[jedda]

apart from digging it out is there anything else to clear a fairy ring on a lawn.

[B00]

Watsa fairy ring?

It sounds adorable, though I'm guessing it's really not!

[gen2]

Fairy rings are caused by a fungus growing in the soil.  They start at a single point feeding on dead organic material in the soil.  They produce enzymes that break down the organic material for their own use, but also release nutrients that can be absorbed by plants, so the grass grows lusher and darker green.  As the organic material is consumed, the fungus spreads outwards into fresh soil.  Over the years, an ever increasing ring of darker green is seen on the lawn.  Every so often, when conditions are suitable, the fungus produces fruiting bodies to reproduce and disperse spores so we then see a ring of toadstools appearing on the lawn.

Many species of fungus can produce this effect.  The largest I have seen was a complete ring of field mushrooms, each with a cap several cm across.

I am not sure that you would want to eradicate a fairy ring as this is part of the natural recycling of organic material.  You can hide its effect by treating your grass to a lawn feed so that ALL of it grows a lush green.  If the fungus in your fairy rings is a poisonous species that you need to eradicate for safety reasons, then your local garden centre may be able to supply a suitable fungicide that you can water in
.