Lawn overseeding and top dressing......

I have a large grass lawn..part of it will need to be overseeded this autumn(actually is a newly planted area this past spring that has some bare spots) and I think I've read enough about this process to know what to so....but the remainder of my already established lawn is failry bumpy when riding my tractor and cutting the grass....top dressing seems it would help "even" things out a bit?? With a large area (over 1 acre) to do what would be the best method to top dress or is there a better way to help smooth out the ground? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Is it bumpy or are their severe dips that need filled?

If bumpy, I'd start with a lawn roller. Roll when the ground is very wet so it's soft. The roller should take out the bumps. If it's still too bumpy you can either fill with dirt or just get a bigger roller. I'm going to get a small paving roller to come in next spring.

I had given some thought to a roller but I have read several times that this is not advisable since it compacts the soil?? I wonder if it's rolled and then core aerated that would solve the problem?? It really isn't that big of a deal to me since it's only noticable when I'm riding over it while cutting...but it would be nice to get a better ride!

Running an aerator annually is a good idea anyway.

Rollers don't compact too much. If you figure a 50 gallon unit, you're at around 500#. Driving a decent size tractor or car through the yard probably puts more compaction.

When I bring in the paving roller (probably 4 ton), I'll definitely need to aerate a couple times.

Rolling probably won't hurt it because it is new. Normally not recommended as you say, but likely won't harm it as the soil is already pretty well aerated.

My wife took a landscaping course at Cornell and the instructor recommended core aeration as a means of smoothing; not rolling. Your circumstances are different.

Also, with the winter coming and rains in the spriing, it might smooth itself.