The grass has taken a pretty good beating thanks to extreme dry heat and minimal rainfall this summer but that doesn't mean it's dead.  Martha Smith, with the University of Illinois Extension, says that grass is just dormant and should recover in the fall.  

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Smith says your lawn will probably have some brown spots when the fall season hits.  But that's okay, just water the dry patches and reseed them if necessary.  Smith says if you do choose to water your lawns, trees, plants, or gardens, do it early in the morning to decrease the chance of diseases and to lessen evaporation.