Trying to identify grass type

Question: I live in the southeast of Minnesota and am trying to find out what grass type I have and how to care for it. I’ve narrowed it down to the cool season lawn types, but I’m still unsure. I want to be sure since I have an area on my lawn that has been damaged by tire tracks and would like to fill it in. Also, my lawn looks very bumpy and soil is exposed after winter. What could be the reason for that and can I fix it?

responder: Pat M MN master gardener and TCA Replied April 21, 2023, 11:02 PM EDT
response: Your lawn looks like it is still dormant. Wet soil and newly emerging grass plants do not mix well with foot traffic and lawn rakes. Resist the temptation to clean up your lawn too early. Trodding on wet lawns can compact the soil and damage plants just breaking dormancy. Raking when the ground is muddy can uproot plants and create bare spots, allowing weeds to take root and thrive. Rake when the soil dries out and “mud season” has passed. Rake up the dead grass and reseed it. https://extension.umn.edu/news/starting-your-gardens-early-0  Over seed your lawn with  a seed mixture containing seed for either sunny or shady locations. Kentucky blue grass, fine fescues, turf-type tall fescue and some of the perennial ryegrass varieties grow best in the sunny locations of your yard. Seed mixtures for shady locations contain fescues along  with common and shade-tolerant Kentucky blue grasses.https://extension.umn.edu/lawn-care/seeding-and-sodding-home-lawns  https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/lawn-care-calendar  https://extension.umn.edu/lawn-care/renovating-lawn-quality-and-sustainability  The Small, conical bumps randomly distributed through lawn are caused by 4 to 8 inches long and reddish-brown worms called nightcrawlers. Nightcrawlers mounds are most common in early to mid-spring when nightcrawlers are first active. Nightcrawlers deposit their castings at their burrow entrances forming cone-shaped mounds at the soil surface. These mounds do not harm the turf but this lumpiness can be a nuisance . When the weather becomes warmer, night crawlers move deeper into the soil. Vertical mowing removes the lumpiness of  nightcrawler mounds and reduces the amount of food available for development. It is best done in late summer, mid-August through September.

responder: The Question Asker Replied April 22, 2023, 2:15 PM EDT
response: Is it too late to apply pre-emergent? I bought a granular prodiamine and was planning to apply it this year. I did rake earlier to try and pick up remaining leaves and branches around the house. I’ll be sure not to do it during the muddy days. Is there a certain type of rake that I should use because I feel like mine is too aggressive? On Apr 21, 2023, at 10:02 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote: ﻿

responder: Pat M MN master gardener and TCA Replied April 22, 2023, 3:29 PM EDT
response: Prodiamine is a preemergent herbicide  that prevents the weed seeds of crabgrass,poa annua, annual bittercress, chickweed, and henbit from germinating.The best time to apply Prodiamine is in the spring as soil temperatures are between 55F to 70F. This will give you approximately 3 months of pre-emergence protection. Do not apply  a preemergent herbicide if you are planning on overseeding your lawn this spring.  Any rake should work.

responder: The Question Asker Replied April 22, 2023, 6:54 PM EDT
response: Hello again, I have taken more recent pictures of my grass. It seems to be greening up. I’m not sure if these pictures could be helpful in identifying the grass type?On Apr 22, 2023, at 2:29 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote: ﻿

responder: Pat M MN master gardener and TCA Replied April 22, 2023, 8:04 PM EDT
response: The following site will help you to determine the types of turf grasses growing in your lawn.   https://extension.psu.edu/the-cool-season-turfgrasses-identification