Springfield sits in what turf experts call the "transition zone" — too far south for purely cool-season grass and too far north for warm-season grass to thrive year-round. That mix means the right time to start mowing depends more on your grass's growth, not the date on the calendar.
For cool-season lawns (fescue, bluegrass), growth typically picks up in late March to early April once soil temperatures climb. For warm-season lawns (Bermuda, zoysia), things stay dormant and brown longer, often not greening up until late April or May.
The simplest rule: mow when the grass needs it, not on a fixed date. Once your lawn is actively growing and reaches about a third taller than your target height, it's time for the first cut. Cutting too early on dormant or stressed grass can do more harm than good.
Not sure where your lawn stands? That's exactly the kind of thing we check on the first visit before setting a mowing schedule.