Fairy Ring

Lately, you might’ve seen some rings or dry looking patches on the greens. What you’re seeing is something called fairy ring, a common turf condition, especially prevalent on younger, sand-based greens like ours. Becoming more visible in the summer months.

Our greens are now three years old and built on 90% sand, 10% profile porous ceramic. Because of this, they drain excellently. While that type of construction is ideal for firmness, drainage, and playability, it also makes fairy ring more likely to appear.

Why Is Fairy Ring So Common in Young Sand-Based Greens?

Poor Water Holding Capacity: Sand drains quickly, which is great for playability but also creates very dry conditions. The fungi responsible for fairy ring creates hydrophobic (water-repellent) areas in the soil. This leads to localized dry spots that can cause turf to wilt or thin out.

Lack of Competition: Sand-based rootzones are essentially a blank slate when they’re built. They start out with very little organic material and minimal microbial diversity. That gives opportunistic fungi, like the ones that cause fairy ring, a head start with very little natural competition to keep them in check.

Fairy ring isn’t a disease in the traditional sense. It doesn’t directly infect or kill the turf like Brown Patch or Pythium might. Instead, the fungal activity in the soil alters how water moves through the profile, creating dry, stressed areas that can lead to secondary damage. So while it looks alarming, it’s not something we consider a major threat but it does require targeted and ongoing management.

So, how are we addressing it?

Fungicide Rotations: We’re rotating different fungicide classes to prevent resistance and maintain effectiveness. Fungi adapt quickly, so rotating products helps us stay ahead of them and ensures longer term control.

Wetting Agents: We’re applying wetting agents directly to the affected areas. These help break down the hydrophobic barriers and allow water to soak in again.

Spot Watering: These areas also get supplemental hand-watering to help keep the turf healthy while we restore proper moisture levels in the soil.

Lastly, Aerification: Aerification will open up the layer created by the fungi and allow products like fungicides and wetting agents to more effectively do their jobs.

Fairy ring is a frustrating but manageable part of the job. Over time, as the soil profile matures and more microbial diversity develops, we expect these outbreaks to become less frequent and easier to control.

Thanks for your continued support!