Garlic mistakes

I have had very good luck with SFG, but was not much into gardening in the past. I have never eaten fresh garlic, just dry sprinkles!
I decided to plant some since I needed something to plant in the fall. I didn't research how to grow, when to plant, or what to do. Everyone was talking about planting it. I just jumped in and got some at the grocery and planted at the same time I planted my broccoli.
Well, I guess that was all wrong! It is up, wrong, and I guess it's supposed to just root and stay under the dirt, not happening in SC.
Hard frost/freeze expected around Nov. 25. But, I've seen it in the 80's at Christmas.
Any ideas as to what to do now?
Should I mulch? does it have to cover the stalks?
Should I just buy some more and plant again? I could plant and plan for a deeper bed so the mulch will be deeper.
Will it be ok to just grow like onions? Onions are up too. I just leave them in the ground, and they bulb up usually in the Spring.
Thanks from the Garlic Newbie

MMM, fresh garlic. You will never eat sprinkles again! While I am new to the SQF garden, in the past I have typically planted my garlic in mid to late Oct. for my area. Then, depending on the weather, which is pretty up in down this time of year in Colorado, I mulch after it starts showing green sprouts or starts getting really cold.
We have gotten some pretty good snow and cold already this fall, so I mulched with straw fairly early.
I typically buy garlic either at a local farmers market that is known to grow well in the area, or like this year I bought several different types for planting at the local garden center.
We shall see!

The cold won't hurt your garlic. Worst case, parts of the leaves might get frost-bit and turn brown, but that won't affect bulbing.

You might re-check some of the threads about growing garlic in your climate. I don't recall if there was a definitive answer as to the best time to plant in warm climates. I would be inclined to leave what you have planted in the ground.

Thanks for the replies.
I did a search and 99% of the replies were from folks in the North. I did find a good URL for the south, which might help Southern garlic growers. It's ok for garlic to grow in the winter, and will bulb in the spring.
http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/growsouth.htm