NORFOLK, NE (News Channel Nebraska)-  Knowing how to take proper care of your lawn equipment is as important as knowing when to water your lawn.

Because when it comes to maintaining your yard, experts say correct use of equipment will provide optimal performance, and therefore a greener and healthier looking lawn.

“You want to try to avoid mowing when the grass is wet, it doesn’t really hurt the grass, but all of that wet-cut grass, just collects up underneath your mower deck and overtime if you don’t clean that out, it’ll rust out your equipment that much quicker,” says lawn mower mechanic, Kirk Goetsch.

Lawn mower mechanic, Kirk Goetsch, says that knowing how to adequately care for equipment can make the difference in how your grass will grow.

“The best thing is to actually check your air filter before you start to mow every single time,” says Goetsch. “ Make sure that it’s not not full of dirt or debris, grass clippings, and stuff like that, that’s probably the biggest thing.”

“When it comes to mowing your lawn, experts recommend you mow it in the morning or in the afternoon, when temperatures are at their lowest.”

“If you water it in the heat of the day, most of it evaporates off, some of it because of the direct sunlight, it has a tendency to burn your plants a little bit because the light refracting through the water droplets,” says Goetsch.