Hard surface blow-off

What it covers

• The driveway
• Sidewalks
• Walkways
• The patio

If the patio is behind a gate, make sure I can get back there.

Why I do it every time

Clippings on concrete get tracked into the house and the car. If they sit in the sun they dry and stick, and on light concrete they can leave a green stain. Wet clippings on a walkway are slippery, too.

Clippings on the lawn

The clippings that land on the grass stay there. Short clippings break down fast, and that's fine for the lawn. A lot of cities around here also ask people to keep grass out of the street and storm drains, which is another reason to keep it off the concrete.

What it isn't

Blow-off is for the clippings from that visit. It's not leaf cleanup, a seasonal yard cleanup, or hauling anything off. Big fall leaf piles need to be raked or bagged, and that's not something I do.