[episiarch]

Lawns don't usually die in the summer, they go dormant. You can usually distinguish between dead grass and dormant grass by observing the color: dormant grass is yellow, while dead grass is grayish.

Texas lawns commonly use some form of bermuda grass, which goes dormant during the hot season (typically late July to late September). Some lawns will mix in a rye grass which shows bright green color during this same season to preserve the look, but obviously this compromises the growth of both types of grass.