Fairy Rings in Edmonton Gardens
How To Get Rid of Fairy Rings in Edmonton Gardens:
Q: I have tried everything to get rid of fairy ring but unsuccessful…do you have any suggestions?
A: Hello Mark, Thank you for your question on getting rid of Fairy Rings in your Edmonton lawn. No matter how well you tend your lawn, the dirge of a home gardener is the appearance of a fairy ring.
Fairy Rings in the Lawn
The telltale circle of mushrooms eventually leaves a ring of dead grass. There are plenty of old wives’ tale cures from boiling water, digging, watering, special tools…the list goes on and on. There is no simple solution that really works well. Fairy rings are caused by mushroom fungi; yet there are no fungicides that will control the mycelium, or underground growth of the fungus. Heavy fertilization and watering can help.
Control:
1. Dig it Out: I’ve used this method the most successfully. I call it part of Tam’s spa program. If you are highly energetic, considering exercise, and own a wheelbarrow, you may decide dig out the fairy ring. You must remove the fairy ring turf and soil for 18 inches on both the inside and outside of the ring. The soil should be removed to a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm) below the zone of the white fungus mat that you’ll discover when you start digging. When removing the affected areas, try to prevent any of the turf or soil from spilling onto healthy areas. Fill the area with fresh top soil and then reseed or re-sod.
2. Drown it Out. The roots of the fairy ring (mycelium) actually repel water, which is what causes the grass to die out. To overcome the extreme drought conditions, use a root feeder or garden fork to punch holes in the fairy ring every 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) apart and 10 inches (25 cm) deep. Soak the holes every second day, if not every day, for at least a month, especially if the fairy ring had progressed to the dried grass stage. Add a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent in a gallon of water to act as a wetting agent to help the water soak into the infested soil. A complete soaking of the area, in addition to a fertilizer application can not only suppress but may even eradicate the fairy ring
3. Wait it Out: Fairy rings will tend to die out naturally when they encounter sidewalks, flower beds and other cultivated areas. Lots of folks extend their flower beds to include fairy ring areas.
4. Duke it Out: I found this one online: Another possible method of eradication is based on the fact that when 2 rings come into contact with each other, they will exhibit antagonistic behavior, which leads to the death of both rings. To take advantage of this natural control method, one may wish to remove the sod in heavily infested areas, cultivate the soil several times to mix the mycelium of one ring with another and then re-seed or re-sod. Really?
Whatever method of control is employed, good turf management practices should follow to ensure re-infestation does not occur. This includes a regular fertilization program in addition to irrigating to a depth of 6 inches (15 cm). Shallow watering should be avoided in all instances.
But there is good news on the horizon. There has never been a cure. Until now, that is. While researching the fungus that causes blackleg in canola, Prem Kharbanda, of the Alberta Research Council, accidentally came across bacteria in a soil sample from central Alberta that not only stopped black leg in its tracks, it also disabled fairy ring.
Prem is experimenting with the bacteria to determine the most effective way to administer it to the soil to kill fairy rings. It will take at least two or three years before the Alberta Research Council confirms their result, and after that, another couple of years before it can pass through the federal government registration protocols.
Dr. Prem Kharbanda is a Senior Scientist with the Alberta Research Council.
What to Plant Beneath Evergreens?
What to Plant Beneath Evergreen Trees?
Q: Lisa Johnson – What is the best grass to seed in shaded areas under fir trees?
A: Hi Lisa, I get asked all the time about what will grow under evergreens. Dry shade is the toughest place to grow in! My best bit of advice is that nothing will survive directly under the canopy. It’s just too dry! A better plan is to use a cedar or stone mulch directly beneath the boughs. However, if the area in question gets at least ½ a day of sun (6 hours) and gets wet when it rains, here are some alternatives:
Creeping Red Fescue Grass Thrives in Shade
Grass for Shady Areas:
To establish a lawn just beyond the ‘drip line’ in an area around the fir trees, seed the shade-tolerant grass-Creeping Red Fescue. Red fescue (Festuca rubra) is an Edmonton hardy grass ideal for use around trees as the grass has a very high tolerance for shade and thrives with low amounts of water, fertilizer and mowing. The grass has very fine leaves and a dark-green color and has a slow growth rate. Red fescue has low tolerance for heat except when planted in areas of shade. The grass establishes slowly and has a moderate level of resistance to wear.
Alternatively, you may consider growing perennials groundcover plants beneath evergreen trees. This will be a challenge, because spruce and pine have low overhanging branches can create an extremely shady and dry place to grow. Remember surviving is not thriving! Ideally, you would mulch directly below the branches, and plant the perennials beyond the drip line (past the edge of the tips of the branches).
Perennial Groundcover Alternatives to Grass for Dry Shade:
Shade loving Bishop's Cap Perennial Groundcover
Elephant Ears(Bergenia), Bugle Weed, Creeping Jenny, Gout Weed, Lily of the Valley, Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), False Nettle(Lamiastrum), Lamium, Bishop’s Cap, Euphorbia, Perennial Geranium, Stonecrop, and Solomon’s Seal.
Growing Tips for Dry Shade:
Plants beneath the branches must compete with shallow and wide spreading tree roots for water and nutrients. Contrary to popular belief, tree roots generally don’t penetrate great soil depths, but are found within the top 30 cm (6”) of the soil.
For anything to survive dry shade, you have to water and fertilize. Water deeply and frequently and use foliar fertilizer like 20-20-20 at a rate of 1 tbsp/ 4L instead of soil applied fertilizer to ensure that the understory plants receive the nutrients.
Falling evergreen needles will slowly increase the acidity of the soil to levels that many plants cannot tolerate. In some cases, a tree may shed so many needles that the lawn or plants below simply become smothered. Don’t fight nature – go with the flow! Needles are an excellent mulch.
