[JackOATs]

I have a small backyard around 65X10. Most of the yard is flat, but I have little bumps here and there and in the right conditions I can squish them down to a manageable level. I'm not trying to coat my entire yard with sand, compost and seed. I'm just looking for a simple solution. I work in concrete for a living and have at my disposal... A plate tamper and a smaller walk behind roller. What I'm getting at is, can I just use a plate tamper over the bumpy parts of my yard or will it damage it further?

 

[Old Thomas]

I would try the roller and then go up to the plate tamper if needed. At the public school where I worked we rolled bumpy athletic fields with a 25 ton vibrating roller, occasionally core aerating them because they were packed down.