Hi Again,

You are seeing insect feeding.  The yellowing is indicative of the lack of chlorophyl.  The black spots on the top of the leaves are dead tissue where the chlorophyl was extracted.  Flip the leaves over and look on the underside.  You will probably notice white specks (Those were probably tea scale) castings. The insect is gone but the tell tale signs are still there.  You may notice what looks like webbing.  You don't need to do anything now except keep an eye on them to reappear. When they do, you may want to treat your shrubs, but normally you don't need to do anything other than ensure you have a vigorously growing healthy shrub. Providing adequate fertilization based on soil sampling is the best management practice.

r/Mart

Hi Mart, 

Thanks for your help. I am attaching 3 more photos of the back of the leaves for you review.  Please tell me if this is what you meant by tea scale. This is literally on almost every leaf. I am mad at myself that I didn't reach out earlier.

You mention that the insect is gone. For my fyi how do you know that and what are the signs of it being gone so I can understand. Also when does this bug usually come around. 

Will my leaves ever turn green again or is this damage permanent and only the new growth will be green? I am worried as the yellow started towards the end of last summer around august and it has gotten worse. 

I will swing by and get the soil test kits. Once I get the results I am hoping you can help me get his sad tree back to looking beautiful :)

Best,

Jenn

Hi Mart, 

I realized I was to reply by e-mail after I responded on the site. 

Thanks for your help. I am attaching 3 more photos of the back of the leaves for you review.  Please tell me if this is what you meant by tea scale. This is literally on almost every leaf. I am mad at myself that I didn't reach out earlier.

You mention that the insect is gone. For my fyi how do you know that and what are the signs of it being gone so I can understand. Also when does this bug usually come around. 

Will my leaves ever turn green again or is this damage permanent and only the new growth will be green? I am worried as the yellow started towards the end of last summer around august and it has gotten worse. 

I will swing by and get the soil test kits. Once I get the results I am hoping you can help me get his sad tree back to looking beautiful :)

Best,

Jenn

No, that is not scale.  You may have had spider mites or thrips. (Both are sucking piercing insects). Each one of those small dots on the back side of the leaf are piercings (called stippling). 
Don't beat yourself up. Regardless, yes your shrubs will green up.  You may lose quite a few leaves, but it will be ok.  

Most people don't realize they have a problem unless they look at the leaves with a hand lens or in your case after the damage is done.  

You would be able to see the insects when they are active. The black mold is called sooty mold. That is a tale-tell sign you may have a problem because the leaves 'bleed sap' where they are pierced.  Then mold grows on the sugar rich sap causing it to turn black.  You can see evidence of this when you are driving around this spring and you see trees with what looks like black leaves (crape myrtle are notorious for sooty mold) where insects are feeding.

Usually they freeze out.  They are gone now.  Usually you have to just monitor.  Some insects are early spring, some late summer to fall.  You can use monitoring traps.  (different type of traps for different insects.  Usually yellow sticky cards.  but I'd have to dig to find which traps are more universal. 

I personally like a systemic insecticide but application date for me is dependent on blume date. You want to apply just after the plant finishes blooming.  You don't want to kill the pollinators. 

I kind of suspect white flies or lacewings.  (The bad kind).  After thinking about spider mites, usually the conditions have to be right and something dramatic happens to cause a bloom in their numbers.  (such as benefitials are killed)  Spider mites move in to fill a void. 

We can talk more when I come look at your recurve privet.

They will definitely green up in the spring.  (Just around the corner).

You are correct in that application is once per year at prescribed dose.  If you applied less that recommended dose, you can 'top up' to meet the full dose requirement.

If you applied in November, you only need to fertilize in the spring.