lawn grass identification

[sams]

How do I identify the grass that growing in my lawn? I am planning to do some overseeding this fall where the grass are subject to stress due to children foot traffic, especially between houses. How do I know what grass seed to buy? I am in the Basic North region in US (Zone 6). The Scotts website suggest that I have Bluegrass, Ryegrass, Fine Fescue, Tall Fescue or Bentgrass. Iam way far (35miles+) from sea or costal area.

Appreciate any help to identify the grass. Previous owner moved out of state and no where to be reached. Iam planning of buying Scotts® Pure Premium® High Traffic Brand Grass Seed Mixture (containing Perennial Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass)

Sam

[Dan Hartung]

you need to buy has only a little to do with what is growing there now. A healthy lawn is a mixture of species and varieties, because it is better able to withstand stress (if one type is sensitive to drought, or attractive to a certain grub, the other types may be more robust).

I am in the Basic North region in US

That's probably a decent default choice for anyone. If you have areas where there is a lot of traffic, you may want to get an "overtime" mix or one labeled for athletic field use. These grasses are generally more coarse but will stand up better overall. You should also aerate the areas where the soil is tamped down.