You need a pretty good quality soil to grow any kind of root crop here, our soil often is too gravelly and low in humus. Same goes for any salad greens. I've only gotten good results by growing in raised beds with purchased top soil. Planting in the ground has always given me poor results.

We have had good results in-ground with carrots/beets/lettuce, it can be done. Doing radishes for the first time this year--sprouts look good so far. Cover crop is worked in most years--usually red clover.

Evenly-timed watering is important also--wild swings in weather can make this difficult.

I assume your radish problem is not due to crowding or lack of thinning the sproutlings.

Make sure your soil is not too coarse--break the top six inches down finer if necessary.

Reg, I had okey results with beets last year, although they were a little weired looking, but radishes are not so good, I guess it is a soil.
One more thing the worm gets in most of them before I get to them, and eats it inside. Any thoughts on that?
Ande thanks Larry for your recomendations