Yes, for a counter starter. A 1:1:1-fed starter at 22°C starts getting hungry after 12-16h but isn't stressed for 24h. One missed day is fine; three in a row calls for a revival feed. Fridge starters tolerate a skipped week easily.

Does it matter which flour I use?

For daily maintenance: no — any bread flour works. For bake prep, 10-20% whole rye or whole wheat adds fermentation speed and flavour. For reviving a sluggish starter, switch to 100% whole rye for two feeds — the bran carries dense wild yeast populations.

My starter is huge. Do I have to feed so much?

No. Discard until you have 30-50g, then feed that small amount. A 50g base is just as vigorous as a 500g one and wastes far less flour. Smaller is almost always better for home maintenance.

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The Complete Sourdough Starter Feeding Guide: Ratios, Timing, and Temperature

Everything you need to know to feed your starter right — and stop guessing when to do it.

Feeding

Beginner

Technique

Julia YukovichCo-Founder + CEO

·February 3, 2026·

4 min read

On this page

The three ratios — and when to use each Counter vs fridge: two completely different schedules How temperature changes everything When to feed — without a rigid clock

Key takeaways

1:1:1 (one part starter : one part flour : one part water by weight) is everyday maintenance — keeps the colony alive without growing it.

1:5:5 is the bake-prep feed — dilutes acidity and gives a clean, vigorous peak 10-12h later. Use it the day before a bake.

Temperature changes timing more than ratio does. 4-5°C warmer = roughly one hour earlier peak.

Log every feed. After 10 feeds the rhythm of your starter becomes obvious; until then everything is guesswork.

Step by step

Discard to target weight

Spoon or pour out starter until the jar holds your base weight (e.g. 50g for a 1:1:1 feed). Tare the scale with the jar on it.

Weigh in flour

Add flour to match your ratio. Daily maintenance: any bread flour. Bake-prep: 80% bread flour + 20% whole wheat or rye for a faster, more flavourful peak.

Weigh in water

Same weight as flour. Room-temperature water for counter feeds; 28-30°C to kick-start a fridge-cold starter. Stir thoroughly until no dry flour remains.

Mark the level and log

Slide the rubber band to the current level. Log the time, ambient temperature, and ratio. Rise % can be added when you check at peak.

Check at expected peak, log rise %

At peak, read the height against the rubber band. Log the rise %. That number, over 10+ feeds, tells you everything you need to know about your starter's health.

The three ratios — and when to use each

Every ratio is written as starter : flour : water by weight. 1:1:1 is the default — keep ~50g starter, add 50g flour and 50g water. Once a day on the counter, once a week in the fridge. 1:2:2 is a mild strengthening feed — keep 30g starter, add 60g flour + 60g water. Good after several fridge days when the starter is slightly sluggish. 1:5:5 is the levain-builder — keep 20g starter, add 100g flour + 100g water. The heavy dilution resets acidity and produces a predictable, vigorous peak in 10-12h. Use it the morning before baking.

1:1:1 — daily or weekly maintenance.

1:2:2 — mild strengthening after fridge rest.

1:5:5 — bake-day prep, cleanest rise.

Counter vs fridge: two completely different schedules

Counter (room temp, 20-24°C): feed once or twice a day. At 22°C a 1:1:1 feed peaks in 6-8h and is back at the starting line 12-16h later — that's your feed window. At 18°C the same feed takes 10-12h, so once a day is enough. Below 16°C the starter barely moves; twice-daily 1:1:1 risks over-acidifying before peak. Move it somewhere warmer instead.

Fridge (3-5°C): feed once a week. The colony goes dormant but doesn't die. Take it out every 6-7 days, discard to 50g, feed 1:1:1 with room-temperature water, leave out 4-6h until you see any activity, then return to the fridge. Skipping a week occasionally is fine; skipping three weeks means a counter revival.

How temperature changes everything

A rough rule: every 4-5°C warmer cuts the time to peak by about one hour. At 20°C, a 1:1:1 peak arrives in 8-10h. At 24°C, 5-7h. At 28°C, 3-4h. This matters enormously for planning: the recipe that says 'feed and wait 8h' was written in a 22°C kitchen. Your August kitchen at 28°C is a different ecosystem. Track ambient temperature with every feed and within two weeks you'll know your starter's peak time at every season.

When to feed — without a rigid clock

The starter tells you. After peak it falls. When it drops back near the rubber band mark — or starts smelling strongly of alcohol or vinegar — it's time. For most counter starters at 20-22°C that's 12-24h after a 1:1:1 feed. For fridge starters, 5-7 days. You don't need an alarm; you need a rubber band and a quick glance when you walk past the jar. Sourdough Tracker shows your last feed time on the starter card so you always know how long it's been without thinking about it.

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Written by

Julia Yukovich

Co-Founder + CEO

Julia is one of the Co-Founders. She handles design, product direction, and most of the support replies that arrive in the morning.

julia.yukovich at aicuflow dot comLinkedIn