Important Notes Before You Begin

You can return your starter to the Sourdough Home immediately after feeding:
There’s no need to let your starter sit out at room temperature. Once you’ve fed it and given it a good stir, place it directly back into the Sourdough Home. It will continue fermenting right away at the set temperature.

Use water that matches your Sourdough Home’s temperature setting:
Using water that’s significantly warmer than your set temperature can accelerate fermentation and cause your starter to ripen too quickly. For consistent results, use water that’s close to the Sourdough Home’s current setting.

Every starter behaves a little differently:
These guidelines are based on our experience with the Sourdough Home, but your results may vary depending on flour types, feeding ratios, and your specific starter. We encourage you to experiment and find the routine that works best for you and your starter.

This guide was designed for established starters. If you are looking to create a new starter from scratch, please visit our guide here. 

Choose Your Ideal Sourdough Starter Routine:

What Should I Do When It’s Time to Feed Again?

When your schedule calls for a feeding—or you're ready to bake—there are two options:

1. Feed your starter and continue your schedule. If you’re not baking yet, simply feed your starter as usual and continue with the routine you’ve chosen.

2. Use your starter for baking. If it’s baking day, what you do next depends on how much starter you’ve been maintaining:

If you keep a small amount of starter

You’ll likely need to build it up to have enough for your recipe. Give it a larger feeding and set your Sourdough Home to a warmer temperature to help it ripen faster. If you want your starter ready in:

• 4-6 hours: Feed a 1:1:1 ratio and place it in the Sourdough Home at 78ºF (26ºC).
• 8-9 hours: Feed a 1:6:6 ratio and place it in the Sourdough Home at 78ºF (26ºC).
• 10-12 hours: Feed a 1:7:7 ratio and place it in the Sourdough Home at 72ºF (22ºC).

The feeding ratio affects ripening speed—lower ratios (like 1:1:1) ferment quickly, while higher ratios (like 1:7:7) take longer.

Learn more about how feeding ratios impact fermentation in our complete guide.

If you keep a larger amount of starter

You can bake with it directly. Many bakers successfully use their starter straight from the Sourdough Home—especially if it still looks active and bubbly and hasn’t overripened. No extra feedings required!