Dark rings in the lawn

[Pensdown]

Every year I get dark rings in the lawn about 200mm wide and about 1mtr across. Toadstools then start to grow but only in the dark part of the rings?

I have no idea what these are or why they appear but they fascinate me. They never pop up in the same place only in the same area of the lawn

Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[masona]

We had this problem on our bowling green, I'm not expert but our greenkeeper called it the Fairy Ring disease. Loads of info on google if that what you're seeing.

 

[Pensdown]

Thanks masona, thats just what I'm seeing.

As you say theres loads of good stuff about this disease (now I know what it's called) but no cure. Did your greenkeeper get it under control?

 

[masona]

I understand it's very difficult to control so the greenkeeper dug it out with a special tools for bowling green because we were spreading it all over the green as we walk on it. Cut out in 12" square and 12" deep in a wedge shape. Although it's harmless, you don't have to do this if you can live with it. I don't know if there are any killer stuff you can put on it.