Current, you haven't touched upon the most important reason for your shrub's problem: genetic predisposition. The ninebark is simply 'born that way' and those are the kinds of plants to be cautious about.

I can assure you that the fish pond water would not cause the kind of excessive vegetative growth that would encourage aphid over populations. Fish pond water is not what is meant by a high nitrogen fertilizer by any means.

But all of the moving that it has been through is terribly stressful, and yes....when plants are repeatedly forced to grow root systems lost in transplanting, they cannot build up a resilience to pests.

Finally, aphids live, breed, feed, and lay eggs on plants....not in the soil. But that doesn't give you a go ahead to plant another of the same.....there's the genetic thing going on.

you moved it several times.. and then poured fish poop all over it.. IT IS STRESSED

and perhaps a new definition of loving it to death ... lol ..

either replace it with anything else ... or.. ignore it completely for a year.. see if it can get over the stress of you ...

stressed plants.. attract other problems ..

based on what rhiz said.. try anything else ... imo

ken

Have you had a good soil test done in any of the locations this has been grown? The University of Wisconsin does soil testing for about $15.00 per sample and that can help get that shrub in a soil that it needs to grow strong and healthy.

Also the people at your local UW Cooperative Extension Office will be able to advise you if Ninebark is that susceptible to Aphids. If this shrub was that attractive to insect pests it would not be as popular as it is.

I have 'Summer Wine' as well and hitting it with a strong spray of water every week keeps aphids in check. One spring when lady beetles were showing up on my house windows I collected all I found and dumped them on the ninebark. My aphids have been minimal since.

tj