Thanks for the reply, Travis. I'll have to install a new sprinkler
system and agonize over the new lawn & garden layout, so it'll probably
be several weeks' worth of planning and work before I'm ready for the
grass to go in. By then, it'll be pretty cold here in Northern
California, so the lawn will probably have to wait until spring. But
that does give me time to do some prep, such as add some blood meal to
the areas full of chipped tree roots.

Any other advice to get the wood-chip laden soil ready for planting is
appreciated.

- Fleemo