Message Board - Cricket: Red Fred and Fairy Rings
14 Jul 2009 by Chris Germaine
Hi
Can you help or offer advice. Recently I have noticed a spate of fairy rings on my cricket square. I have also noticed puff balls growing on the square. Question is why do these occur, how do you get rind of them and do they affect the play of the pitch.
I have also noticed on two wickets red fred. Again why does this happen and how can it be cured. i have recently fertilized the sqaure to no affect.
All of these things are on the bottom 4 pitches on the square, which is on a slope. Does this have a bearing?
Many thanks
15 Jul 2009 by chrismitchell
Red Fred. Is this a trade union activist?
Chris
You will never see a statue in honour of a committee.
15 Jul 2009 by wicketdevil
Red thread is quite comman and will be lessend if the grass is fed well and is not too serious. The Fairy rings are caused by fungi and by the sounds of it you have type 2 it can be imported on anything grass seed, soil peoples feet, although it can be unsightly its not a major problem unless the soil levels dip and then you have a serious problem and digging up the square and replacing the soil is the only way this is type 3.
The slope has no effect. WD
Can you just is the longest sentence in the world !!!!!!!
15 Jul 2009 by Ken Barber Last edited 15 Jul 2009
It is probably the hot spell that brought on your problem. Apply some molasses and seaweed extract. This will improve uptake of your last fertilser application and help the sward on its recovery from Red Thread.
Heritage (Azoxystrobin) is said to control Fairy Ring, but I think best results have been achieved when using a wetting agent as well. Gets it in as it were! You may also get better results by aerating first. Which, probably means leaving it until the end of the season.
KB
The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under who’s shade you do not expect to sit.
15 Jul 2009 by Chris Germaine
Thanks for the comments. Red Fred (what was i thinking Brothers!!) i wrote it in the way that someone told me!!
How do i know if my soil levels dip? Where do i get seaweed extract from.
Were can i find out more about Type 2 and type 3 fairy rings.
As has been said it does not look very good, but will it affect the way the pitch plays. The blessed thing has come on the pitch that I have been preparing for the youth County matches in July and Agust.
Thanks all
15 Jul 2009 by Ken Barber Last edited 15 Jul 2009
Most suppliers will stock seaweed extract.
Google ..... fairy ring type 2 and type 3!
KB
The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under who’s shade you do not expect to sit.
15 Jul 2009 by Vic Demain
Chris, it won't affect the playing quality of the pitch however however, when cut down it may leave a noticeable lighter ring which doesn't look great.
15 Jul 2009 by Pitchcare Peter
Chris, you may find this useful
http://www.pitchcare.com/magazine/article/5907/fairy-rings-fact-and-fable
15 Jul 2009 by widdywoo
Anyone else seeing worst outbreak of red thread on their patch?
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
15 Jul 2009 by Chris Thornton
I've got red thread on the outfield Dave but not too bothered about it as it comes and goes.
There are lots of fairy rings on the square but again I am not going to get too bothered about them either.
(Widdy woo ??)
Chris
"He not busy being born is busy dying"
16 Jul 2009 by widdywoo Last edited 16 Jul 2009
Agreed, Chris - we usually get a bit of Red Thread, but never seen so much on the outfield as we have this year. (Square is fine, only fed it a couple of weeks ago.) Still wondering whether to fertilise the outfield again - don't usually bother mid-season as it's only a dog toilet public field and the budget is tight.
(I used to have a different name on each website, so now I'm trying to get the same username on all my web accounts, hence my pet name from when I was very young!!!)
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
16 Jul 2009 by Ken Barber
So where did the term widdywoo originate from?
KB
The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under who’s shade you do not expect to sit.
17 Jul 2009 by widdywoo
It's been a buzzword in our family for as long as I remember, Ken, but where it originates from is lost in the mists of time. My mother is 90 years old and says she can't remember. I considered torture to get the information out of her, but she says having me as a son is torture enough! 
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
17 Jul 2009 by Chris Thornton
I know how she feels!!!!!!! LOL
Chris
"He not busy being born is busy dying"
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