While they want well drained soil, if it is really dry, then you would have to water. They aren't very drought tolerant.

I know this is an old post, but three4rd doesn't give a zone, location, or an acknowledgment of replies. Not cool.

Wow! This is an old post!

Oh well, still this is a good question and my opinion is that they will grow in such soil if a lot of peat moss and organic matter (leaf mould, compost) are added into the soil - make the hole at least 3 times as large as the plant because they do spread very wide over time (many years). And mulch very well.

Mine are totally exposed to the sun and wind, and occasionally they look crappy because of it, but this year after record snowfall and record rainfall this Spring they have never looked better (mine are almost 15 years old - the one fully exposed to wind and sun is HUGE; the one in partial shade is half the size).

I'm assuming here that this person lived in a temperate zone, not the desert.

natschultz,
I am thinking of growing heather because I thought it would grow well in poor clay soil. It appears that maybe I should not grow it. I want something for my hot Missouri weather that will look good through the summer.