When air is moist, colorful red disease strands are produced at the leaf tips, giving the turf a reddish appearance. Maintain a balanced fertilizer program and water to prevent stress. Prune trees to increase light penetration to the lawn and to increase air movement. Collect clippings to reduce spread of the disease spores. Symptoms include the formation of arcs or rings of lush green turf grass, often with two green rings separated by a dead zone.
Mushrooms grow from the rings.
Rings usually don't cross each other but instead coalesce to form larger rings. Fairy rings are most severe on light-textured, infertile, droughty soils. Since they grow on organic matter, turf on soil containing much residue from previous crops and old plant roots, or turf allowed to become thatchy, is most susceptible. There is no single, successful control. Heavy watering helps prevent drought stress of turf grass above the fungus as well as encouraging development of microorganisms antagonistic to the fungus.