Back in the good old days when times were simpler farmers used to do a “taste test” to determine the soil’s pH for their crops. Yes, they would actually put a small amount of soil into their mouth. If the soil tasted (and smelled) “sweet” then it was deemed to have a high pH (alkaline). However, if it tasted “sour”, it was judged to have a low pH (acidic).
Fortunately for us we don’t have to sample a “dirt hors d’oeuvre” to be able to determine a soil’s pH. Today we have a much more reliable way to indicate our garden’s pH and that is to have it professionally tested. I might venture to say that this is a tastier alternative (wink). Yes, there are plenty of DIY kits out there, but if you are really interested in the most accurate results I would suggest you use a soil testing laboratory or see if your local County Extension field office preforms these tests. Along with the results of the test, they will educate you about how to fix any problems.
FYI, if you are in doubt about the advantages of using a commercial lab to test over a do-it-yourself hand held meter, I think the online article, pH Meters, Friend or Foe? (http://www.whitetailinstitute.com/info/news/jun04/6.html) clearly shows the discrepancy in results of the pH value between the two methods. Remember, determining the pH in soil is a science not a roll of the dice.