Question
In the past 3 years i have acquired a 1/2 moon shape of brown grass in my lawn. I dug up a clump of soil to see what was below the grass. The soil has white all through it. Is this a fungus? and what to do. 2 lawn experts could not answer this for me. I do not over water. I use to have mushrooms. I poured listerine on them and have gotten rid of them. Is my soil lacking something. Help! My lawn use to be beautiful.

Answer
Hi Kelly, you have fairy ring. The white layer is mycelium (fungal roots) and it can be quite thick.  Thick enough that water cannot penetrate the soil.  I just wrote a newletter about lawn diseases, here is the link
http://www.danwestonline.com/newsletters/2010%2007%20Lawn%20Diseases.html
Fairy ring is hard to cure. Repeated aeration and several treatments of Heritage is your best bet.  Jim