That's what I have done ... half my balcony is carpeted; the work/potting area is uncarpeted. I still spill dirt on the carpeted part. Try to wait til the dirt dries before sweeping; and having an uncarpeted area to sweep it TO before you try to pick it up helps, I find.

I have plants curving in from the walls in the area where the carpeting stops, so that there is already a natural 'break' in the areas. Not such a sharp-looking division between carpeted and non-carpeted that way.

I use a marine backed outdoor carpet (got it at Lowes) which has a sort of flat berber texture. It's green and black, gives the impression of grass, but you can sweep it. Sweeping is much easier if you get one of those brooms with the rubber bristles, it will tear up straw bristles. The flat texture is also a lot easier on the soles of bare feet than those little tufts of "grass."

That's why I just got linolium for my balcony :)

You might consider getting one of those vaccuum sweeper things - not electric, just powered by rolling it...I have no idea what they are actually called LOL

I dunno how much space you have to work with, but I vacuum mine. That prob. gets some looks from the other highrises. :-)

Wow. Sorry I missed this earlier... I agree with others about waiting a bit until the spilled dirt dries and it sweeps away quite easily. The one funny thing about the astroturf (perhaps not funny) is that it will often serve as a perfect surface to support weeds like chickweed or lambs quarters and I have even had mint and ivy "grow" along it behind some pots before I noticed the vines. LOL