I started a new world yesterday, have wheat/potato/carrots in crop sticks.
http://i.imgur.com/SMLEYT5.jpg
For minicio NEI says tilled garden soil is required, will test that next. Oh and that is Garden Core garden soil, not Ztones garden soil, it appears.
Update: Yes, the various Magic Crops are growing fine with crop sticks on top of tilled garden soil.