What causes a circle of dead lawn grass?

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Hopefully I can answer all questions in one reply, and why I'm so mystified.
I've had this place 42 years. This just happened a few weeks ago. I found a picture I took of this general area about a month ago, circle in question is below red arrow. As you see...no circle there then.
Yes, before I bought it it was a small 40+ acre farm...cows, few horses, chickens, etc.
Never a silo or pool, etc there or anywhere on the place. We've had rains so I mow at least once a week. I always change mowing pattern a bit and usually get grass clippings up next day. No chemical/fuel/fluid spills ever.
Trees never planted there, none there even 42 years ago. Never a fence there.
Over the years of course I have run out of gas, had to refill mower, but never that area. I'm careful but have spilled a small amount which you can see a little spot days later.
It makes no sense.
Yes I have seen fairy ring mushrooms over the years, always leaves a dark green not a dead circle. I didn't see mushrooms in this area. We walk through this area every day from house to mailbox. We would have noticed anything unusual. Rarely I'll drive a tractor or truck through that area, never in a 20 ft circle (?). That's rare though.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I think I found what it is by internet research.
This picture is not my lawn but found on the web.
We've had lots of hot days (90°F+), lots of rain and my soil a little high in nitrogen, all elements for Rhizoctonia solani to thrive.
There is a treatment and Ace Hardware is close by...hope they have it. Scott's lawn disease treatment.
Think that's it? ...thanks for opinions...

 

[Raul-02]

You guys are all wrongView attachment 758228

They always do leave crop circles

 

[Raul-02]

Hopefully I can answer all questions in one reply, and why I'm so mystified.
I've had this place 42 years. This just happened a few weeks ago. I found a picture I took of this general area about a month ago, circle in question is below red arrow. As you see...no circle there then.
Yes, before I bought it it was a small 40+ acre farm...cows, few horses, chickens, etc.
Never a silo or pool, etc there or anywhere on the place. We've had rains so I mow at least once a week. I always change mowing pattern a bit and usually get grass clippings up next day. No chemical/fuel/fluid spills ever.
Trees never planted there, none there even 42 years ago. Never a fence there.
Over the years of course I have run out of gas, had to refill mower, but never that area. I'm careful but have spilled a small amount which you can see a little spot days later.
It makes no sense.
Yes I have seen fairy ring mushrooms over the years, always leaves a dark green not a dead circle. I didn't see mushrooms in this area. We walk through this area every day from house to mailbox. We would have noticed anything unusual. Rarely I'll drive a tractor or truck through that area, never in a 20 ft circle (?). That's rare though.View attachment 758226

Lovely lawn
nive view

 

[Studboy911]

I’m probably wrong but it looks to me like a muck bucket or something similar sat there for at least a few days upside down. It does seem to have a tire track going threw it.

 

[scaredychicken]

I read the title of the thread, and before the posts opened up I was thinking ...
1) large dog(s) doing their business - liquid effort
2) buried / former septic tank, dry well, septic field area
3) a prankster
4) aliens

Sounds like you figured it out, and I am just arriving late to the party...

v

 

[Egon]

I believe it’s a fungal infection of some sort. We had them on a previous lawn. They seem to do better on poor and dry soil. The grass turns brown and basically dies. They do keep getting bigger.

 

[oosik]

I have one circle. About 15 feet across. The circle is made up of DARKER green grass. We call it a fairy circle. It's been there about ten years. I don't worry about it. Just mow it along with the remainder of the lawn. Life goes on........

 

[Diggin It]

Hopefully I can answer all questions in one reply, and why I'm so mystified.
I've had this place 42 years. This just happened a few weeks ago. I found a picture I took of this general area about a month ago,

Was this sudden, or over a week or so? Did you notice anything else during that period?

Some years back, I went out in the yard one morning and found a couple of large circles that were bright orange ... vivid rust orange. Looked like someone had used marker paint. Few days later it was a dull grey and fuzzy looking, obviously a fungus of some kind. The roundness of the circles was odd though.

But I can't remember if the grass died or not.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

You had a lawn fungus also.
Yes, it happened here suddenly.