Winter flowering heathers don't really need ericaceous compost so will do quite well in a normal potting compost. Summer flowering heathers really do require the ericaeous stuff.

There are some heathers that don't need ericaeous compost - why not go for them? Look for Erica carnea.

Snap, Anchorman!

Erica Carnea is good :) . My favourite is erica darleyensis whih certainly doesn't require ericaceous compost. I used to grow 10000 per year of the winter flowering heathers and they're perfectly happy in normal garden soil or potting compost.

That's a lot of plants! ;-O