Covering Bare Soil

Normally I'd mulch any bare soil with compost or clippings in the veg plot, or shreddings on the borders, but yesterday I cleared what will be the carrot and parsnip patch this year but couldn't decide between mulching and adding too much nitrogen or leaving it bare. 
I can't remember what I normally do so for now it's been left uncovered which feels very wrong with a sunny week of 20+ to bake the clay soil coming up!
Any thoughts   

If I dig an area that I intend to plant in I'll just cover with card. I don't have enough stuff to mulch everything. I also use newspapers

I wouldn't bother covering it with anything.I would leave it as it is then hoe off any weed growth just before seed sowing.

I must admit I mulched with grass clippings but found the clippings left grass seed all over the place which then sprouted up everywhere. I liked the water saving side of mulch but the weeding afterwards was a pain in the proverbial.

I'd sow seeds in it. When do you intend sowing carrots & parsnips? Is there time for a quick crop of summat?

I must admit I mulched with grass clippings but found the clippings left grass seed all over the place which then sprouted up everywhere.  I liked the water saving side of mulch but the weeding afterwards was a pain in the proverbial.

As long as I use grass before it's set seed it should be fine - I've done it for years and the only problem was the autumn cut of the meadow getting mixed in one year. Weedy chaos!!

I'd sow seeds in it. When do you intend sowing carrots & parsnips? Is there time for a quick crop of summat?

I'll be sowing progressively over the next month or so, and filling in with radishes.

I might shred up some paper, thanks Scarlet - it needs to be something loose rather than a sheet oherwise the blackbirds can't pull it around and find the slugs! Although they'll try.

Hoeing is near impossible here once the surface dries, Vinny. It bakes absolutely solid and forms a crust, and then I can't sow directly either.

Thanks everyone