Here are some tips for giving the illusion you have the perfect lawn

This deep into summer, it’s best to mow your lawn high but mow often when the grass is growing.

The goal is to remove only one third of the grass blade but to allow the lawn to grow between 2-3 inches tall before you mow. This is taller than the traditional low mow that lawn fanatics and golf courses aim for.

The problem with closely cropped lawns is they need more water to stay green than a taller lawn that will shade the grass roots and conserve moisture. Another advantage of a taller lawn is that it can help to shade out sun-loving weeds such as clover.

Here are some more tips for the “Lawn Ranger” to give the illusion of a perfect patch of grass:

1. Edge the lawn to give it a crisp clean finish

You can use a flat shovel to cut into the border of the beds to make a clean edge or invest in a power edger that will make quick work of a sharp edge. Invest in a quiet machine or one that runs on rechargeable batteries.

You will not need to edge the lawn every time you mow and consider the size of your lawn before you commit to the labor- intensive goal of that clean edge. A good compromise is to have a clean cut in the front or public part of the landscape but let the edges blur a bit in the back yard so you’ll have time to relax.

Installing a physical edge of pavers, stacked block or even fallen logs can work to define and frame the lawn as well.

2. Level the dips for a smooth appearance

The optical illusion of a nicer lawn can be achieved by filling in the dips and low spots and shaving off the soil beneath any high spots. A trick is to cut into the sod in a low spot, remove the sod section then add sand or topsoil to fill in the low spot and replace the sod back on top of the repaired area. You won’t have to wait for seed to sprout and you’ll get that level-to- the-eye look that makes even a weed-filled lawn look better.

3. Dig in to discover why there are brown areas

If patches of lawn keep turning brown before the rest of the lawn dries out in the summer, dig in now and investigate. Most often it is because of a boulder or patch of clay a few inches below the surface of the lawn. Use a crowbar if you have to and uproot those rocks. Then add soil and replant or replace the sod. You will wish you had taken the time to get to the root of the problem years ago.

4. Coping with moles and voles

There is no easy answer for keeping these underground rodents out of your lawn but over-watering your lawn is one way to attract moles. They are after the earthworms and grubs that become more active when you water, so consider watering less often, which also will encourage your lawn roots to grow deeper in search of water.

Voles are field mice that use mole runways so if you do trap a mole or find a dead one courtesy of your cat, bury the mole carcass in his runway. This will keep the voles from moving in. Putting used kitty litter in a mole hole or using coffee grounds in a runway will force them to make new underground highways but will not be a permanent solution to the mole/vole invasion.

The most practical solution may be to tamp down the runways with your foot to keep the sod in contact with the soil and spread any mini mountains of soil out on top of the lawn to minimize the brown hills of dirt.

Over the years the most successful gardeners have claimed that learning to use mole and mice traps or adopting a cat that loves to hunt are the best strategies for mole control.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.