Breaking down cypress mulch

Very new to this.  I've cypress mulch under a lime tree in Central Flordia, and am thinking ahead.  Now that I'm a bit more knowledgeable, I'm not really sure if it breaks down at all or if the soil biology in my yard knows what to do with it.  It's about a foot off the base of the 1" thick sapling, and about 3" deep.  Do ya top dress on top of it annually to get it to break down, or rake it off, topdress with compost/manure, then place it back?  When I get a chipper, I'll make my own mulch from neighbor yard waste.  Currently, I'm making compost pretty steadily, and about to make an anaerobic compost tea (barrel/weeds/water,) and have the stock ready for ~26 gallons of soil bacteria juice (rice water/milk/molasses).  Def would appreciate the perspective about cypress mulch from others as my pre-permi self thought "it was good idea at the time."

To understand if it's breaking down at all, dig down to the ground level and look for any discoloration, and hopefully some fine white threads (fungal hyphae).  If you don't see that, it's probably not breaking down.  I would remove it, wet the ground and lay cardboard down, and wet the cardboard before returning the mulch.  Seems like there is not that much, so you could put it in a wheelbarrow or in pails and fill with water and soak it overnight.  Worms, if you have them, will love the damp ground under the cardboard, and may help inoculate it, as will beetles ants, and other larger transient critters.  Keeping the material damp is helpful if you want it to break down.  Cypress is known for its longevity and the natural preservative effect of its chemicals, and so will take longer to break down than other woods..  

I put cypress mulch in all my pathways, and it's breaking down far faster than I would have hoped. I'd put down cardboard thickly first, then put the mulch over it (that no-float kind), and now there's just rich black with most of the mulch gone. This has taken about a year, year and a half. We live in Georgia, where it's really humid and has been especially wet this year. I hadn't realized cypress mulch was a no-no. All they had the last time I went was "aromatic cedar," which I put in a front bed that I'm not going to be growing much in.

One of the most common trees planted all across NZ in the early settler era was the Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa). Now lots of these old giants are being felled, some because they're dying of canker, but most because dairy farmers don't want them around their cows and heifers, as the green foliage induces miscarriage. So I get lots of macrocarpa shavings, bark, and offcuts, and it's one of the main components of the poultry bedding and mulch around the property. It decomposes in a similar manner to most other softwood, although not as fast as pine.

The thing about most cypresses is that the oils that make them resistant to rot and insects don't stand a chance against the fungi that enter from the soil. Macrocarpa is regarded as a durable timber here as long as it's not in contact with the ground.

Phil Stevens wrote:One of the most common trees planted all across NZ in the early settler era was the Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa). Now lots of these old giants are being felled, some because they're dying of canker, but most because dairy farmers don't want them around their cows and heifers, as the green foliage induces miscarriage. So I get lots of macrocarpa shavings, bark, and offcuts, and it's one of the main components of the poultry bedding and mulch around the property. It decomposes in a similar manner to most other softwood, although not as fast as pine.

The thing about most cypresses is that the oils that make them resistant to rot and insects don't stand a chance against the fungi that enter from the soil. Macrocarpa is regarded as a durable timber here as long as it's not in contact with the ground.

This is very helpful information, Phil!

Just an important distinction here: "Cypress" in the US is a very different group of trees from NZ 'macrocarpa' or Mediterranean Cypress.
In the US, bald cypress or swamp cypress are in the genus Taxodium (redwood family).
Elsewhere, 'cypress' refers to Cupressus. (Check Wikipedia for a list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypress)

That's why common names are sometimes misleading.
The Cupressus tend to be far more decay resistant, resinous and phytotoxic.  

It's good to know what you're dealing with before deciding how (or if) to use.

Phil Stevens wrote:One of the most common trees planted all across NZ in the early settler era was the Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa). Now lots of these old giants are being felled, some because they're dying of canker, but most because dairy farmers don't want them around their cows and heifers, as the green foliage induces miscarriage. So I get lots of macrocarpa shavings, bark, and offcuts, and it's one of the main components of the poultry bedding and mulch around the property. It decomposes in a similar manner to most other softwood, although not as fast as pine.

The thing about most cypresses is that the oils that make them resistant to rot and insects don't stand a chance against the fungi that enter from the soil. Macrocarpa is regarded as a durable timber here as long as it's not in contact with the ground.

Hi Phil,
I am in Northland NZ and able to access macrocarpa as mulch for my new orchard.  Is this advisable as it is apparently quite anti-fungal.  What has been your experience as mulch around your property?

Kia ora Boon and welcome to permies!

In general, the macrocarpa mulch is slower to break down but not a whole lot. On average, most wood chips and shavings that I spread have turned into crumbly black goodness in under a year unless it's a dry, sunny spot. Then the top layer tends to hang on a while longer. Pine and softer non-resinous hardwoods like willow and poplar can be gone in as little as six months.

As I mentioned above, mac isn't ground durable. It only weathers well as long as it's up and well away from soil contact, so any fungi in your orchard understory will probably take care of it just like any other timber.

I have a huge macrocarpa hedge around my property. It has good points, but it's expensive to get cut. I've found that the hedge clippings are great for eliminating lawn so you can turn it into a garden. The green bits turn into good soil very quickly. You have to remove the woody bits before you start planting. No big deal. But the fascinating thing is worms love the green bits, especially the green stems. One evening I went to put something in my letter box and I saw what looked like a tiny macrocarpa forest. Worms had pulled  the little green bits  end-on into the ground and were chomping on them in the privacy of their own burrows, enriching the soil.  Has anyone else seen this? I swear I hadn't been drinking.