garlic mulch II

the garlic i planted in my back yard came up just like the garlic parker and i planted in the community garden...it would have needed mulching no matter whether it did or not and since...as i have stated more than once recently...the temperatures are due to take a turn for the bloody cold( bombogenesis on the way )by mid week this seemed to be an opportune moment to do something about it...my yard is a bit more informal garden-wise than the university campus so i did not expend the fabric and landscaping pin resources out back that i did on campus...i spread some straw ( the same six inches or so ) over the bed and then used old sticks, some hinged wire tomato cages, and the odd rock laying about the back to hold it all down...it is my yard after all...and as the straw rots in the spring it will release nitrogen and keep the weeds down...garlic hates competition.