It was just last fall when soils were very dry in many areas of Iowa, and this fall they may be even drier. So, questions being asked are, Can anhydrous ammonia be applied to dry soil? Will it be held in dry soil? When anhydrous ammonia is injected into soil, several physical and chemical reactions take place: dissolution in water, reaction with soil organic matter and clay, and attachment of the resulting ammonium ions on the cation exchange complex.