If you are starting your sourdough journey, one of the first and most important things to understand is sourdough starter feeding ratios. These are about a delicate balance between starter, flour, and water, and are essential for creating and maintaining a healthy, active starter.
This article is built on the guide to feeding sourdough starter. If you haven't read it yet, start there first. It will give you the essential foundation to understand everything in this post.
What is a sourdough feeding ratio?
A sourdough feeding ratio is the proportion of flour and water used relative to the starter. It is a simple way to measure the amount of flour and water you need to add to your starter.
Ratios like 1:1:1 or 1:3:3 represent the proportions of starter, flour, and water, respectively.
In any feeding ratio, the first number always represents the starter, the second the flour, and the third the water.
For instance, a 1:1:1 ratio means you will use equal parts starter, flour, and water. If you have 10 grams of starter, you will add 10 grams of flour and 10 grams of water.
On the other hand, a 1:3:3 ratio means you will use 1 part starter, 3 parts flour, and 3 parts water. With 10 grams of starter, you would add 30 grams of flour and 30 grams of water.
By using these ratios, you make sure that your starter receives the correct amounts of starter ingredients (flour and water) to remain active and grow.
What a feeding ratio actually controls
A feeding ratio controls three things: fermentation speed, acidity development, and how long the starter can go before the next feed. A common misconception is that feeding ratios directly "make a starter acidic."
In reality, acidity depends on how long fermentation continues after feeding, not on the ratio alone.
Smaller feeds ferment faster and reach peak sooner. Larger feeds ferment more slowly and keep acidity lower for longer.
Sourdough starter feeding ratios
Most feeding ratios range from 1:1:1 to 1:6:6 (starter:flour:water), but some bakers use even higher ratios, such as 1:10:10 and higher.
The ratio you choose depends on how quickly you want your starter to grow and how often you plan to feed it.
Small feeding ratios
Feeding ratios such as 1:1:1 are not "bad," but they need to be used properly. With small feeds, a sourdough starter runs out of food quickly. Yeast activity slows first, while lactic acid bacteria continue producing acid. As a result, the pH drops rapidly, often reaching 3.7-3.8 by the time of the starter peak activity.
Because smaller ratios provide less food, fermentation happens faster. When feeding at 1:2:2, a starter will usually peak within 4-6 hours at 76-80°F (24-27°C) as it quickly consumes the available sugars.
If you feed only once a day, the starter spends many hours after peak without fresh food. During this time, acidity continues to rise, yeast activity declines, and the starter begins to smell sharp, peak too early, or struggle to leaven dough effectively. This results in a weak and overly acidic sourdough starter.
A 1:1:1 ratio works best for making levain when you plan to mix the dough the same day, for very frequent feedings (typically every 4-6 hours), or for short-term revival. It is not well-suited for long-term, once-daily maintenance.
Medium feeding ratios
Ratios like 1:2:2 or 1:3:3 are ideal for most home bakers. They allow the starter to complete a full fermentation cycle, produce balanced acidity, support strong yeast growth, and peak predictably (usually 6-10 hours at room temperature).
If you keep your starter on the counter, the ratio 1:3:3 twice a day is one of the safest and most stable ratios to start with, then adjust as needed.
Large feeding ratios
There is a common myth that feeding a starter at 1:5:5 or 1:10:10 will eventually make it too acidic. This is not true.
Large feeding ratios dilute the existing acids, resetting the pH closer to 5.8-6.0. This creates a more favorable environment for yeast, slows fermentation, and results in a milder, more balanced bread flavor. Because larger feeds provide more food, the starter ferments longer before it needs to be fed again.
You can use a 1:5:5 ratio or higher to feed your starter once a day. Higher ratios, such as 1:10:10 or higher, are used to strengthen a starter or give it extra time to ferment without becoming overly acidic.
These larger ratios are also commonly used when building a levain overnight, so it reaches peak activity in the morning.
In addition, they are used to prepare a starter for fridge storage, as the extra food helps support the microbes during longer periods of inactivity (see the guide on how to store sourdough starter).
How often should you feed your starter?
Feeding frequency and ratios are closely related. The following feeding ratios are meant as suggestions, not strict rules for use at a room temperature of 68-72°F (20-22°C).
Each starter is different, and factors such as water temperature, flour type, room temperature, and humidity affect fermentation. Use these ratios as guidelines to adjust your own starter.
| Feeding Ratio | Feeding Frequency |
| 1:1:1 | Every 4 hours |
| 1:2:2 | Every 8 hours |
| 1:3:3 | Every 12 hours |
| 1:4:4 | Every 16 hours |
| 1:5:5 | Every 20 hours |
Here is the starter feeding schedule suggested by James Bridges:
At 68-70°F (20-21°C):
- Feed once a day: 1:5:5 (starter:flour:water)
- Or feed twice a day: 1:1:1 or 1:2:2
At 72-75°F (22-24°C):
- Feed twice a day: 1:2:2 or 1:3:3
At 75-78°F (24-26°C):
- Feed twice a day: 1:4:4 or 1:5:5
At 80-85°F (27-29°C):
- Feed three times a day: 1:2:2 or 1:3:3
- Or consider using the refrigerator protocol for more stable fermentation (see my guide to storing sourdough starter)
What feeding ratio should you use?
There is no simple answer to this question. Each sourdough starter is unique, so you will need to adjust the feeding ratio according to the type of flour, water, and room temperature.
A common feeding ratio is 1:3:3, measured by weight twice a day. If you only feed your starter once a day, use 1:5:5 or 1:6:6 to keep it healthy and strong. These ratios work best when your starter is kept on the counter at 68-72°F (20-22°C).
As a beginner, start with these feeding ratios and adjust them as you go.
How to adjust feeding ratios
Adjust your starter's feeding ratio based on its behavior. For example, if you are using a 1:5:5 ratio once a day and your starter hasn't peaked by the next feeding, reduce the ratio to 1:4:4 to speed up fermentation.
On the other hand, if the starter collapses before it is time to feed again, increase the ratio to 1:6:6 to give it more food and extend its activity.
Climate also plays a role. In a very warm home or hot climate (regularly above 82°F / 28°C), you will want to slightly reduce starter hydration to slow fermentation and prevent the starter from peaking too quickly. Learn how temperatures affect sourdough.
Seasonal changes also affect the feeding ratios. During summer baking, use higher feeding ratios to help keep your starter balanced, while in winter, smaller ratios work better to match slower fermentation.
My routine
When I began my sourdough journey, I discovered that feeding my starter once a day with a 1:5:5 ratio (one part starter, five parts flour, and five parts water) consistently made good bread.
However, I started to wonder if the temperature changes in my home were stressing my starter. During the day, we maintain a temperature of around 73°F (23°C), but at night, it drops to 69°F (21°C). This back-and-forth seemed to be affecting my starter's performance.
To solve this, I bought a Brod & Taylor Sourdough Home, which maintains a steady temperature throughout the day. This helps my starter stay active and healthy without needing adjustments for colder or warmer weather.
Now, I keep my starter at a constant 75°F (24°C) and feed it twice daily using a 1:4:4 ratio (one part starter, four parts flour, four parts water). Just a note: I use 100% hydration sourdough starter and feed it with 100% King Arthur bread flour.
Let's talk sourdough
What's your go-to feeding ratio for your starter? Have you experimented with different amounts or timings, and what did you notice? Let's compare notes in the comments.
Ready to keep learning?
Feeding your starter correctly is important, but you also need to discard part of it. Let's learn why you must discard when feeding your starter and why it is a smart move for your sourdough's health.
Nancy says
I’m going to start a cottage bakery. I have been making 10 loaves at once. I’d like to make a bigger batch. To get my starter from 400 grams to say 12000 grams, do I just add for a few times with no discard or do I just feed it to make that much. I’m a little confused!
Thanks.
Irina Totterman says
Hello Nancy, To scale up your starter, you’ll want to build it in stages by feeding without discarding until you reach the amount you need. Instead of jumping straight from 400 g to 12,000 g, do it over a couple of builds so your starter stays strong and active. Here’s a simple 2-stage example: Start with 400 g starter. Feed it at 1:1:1 ratio (400 g starter + 400 g flour + 400 g water) in the afternoon. By morning, you’ll have 12,000 g. I personally like to build a little extra starter (about 10 % more than the recipe requires) just in case. For example, you might feed 1,200 g of starter at a 1:5:5 ratio in the evening instead of 1:4.5:4.5. I hope this helps. Also, please read how to scale a sourdough bread recipe.
Cheryl K says
Few questions. Hi. I'm a first timer, just staring on my sourdough journey but got stuck on the starter part. When it's time to feed the starter, I know you have to discard. I know and slowly understanding the feeding ratios. But what confuses me is how much starter to keep and feed, because if I'm basing it off of the feeding ratios, example 1:1:1 10g. Does that mean I keep 10g of starter and go from there. Or do I have to weight what I currently have before discarding, example 100g starter then feed ratio that then discard. But then again brings me back to how much to keep? It's bubbling but not a lot like the references I see, makes me worried I just ruined it. Any input would be helpful. Thanks, CK.
Irina Totterman says
Hello Cheryl, welcome to the sourdough world! Let me clarify the feeding process a bit. First, don’t worry about what you currently have. You don’t need to weigh the full jar before discarding. The idea is to remove most of the starter so that what remains is just the portion you want to keep, for example, 10 g, and feed according to your chosen ratio. So the process is: first discard, then feed the amount of starter you want to maintain. Second, how much starter to feed. Less is better (without wasting flour!). For example, I feed 4 g of starter at a 1:4:4 ratio (4 g starter, 16 g flour, 16 g water) twice a day, storing it at a constant 75°F using my Brod & Taylor Sourdough Home. For guidance, please refer to the starter feeding ratios and adjust based on your kitchen temperature.
David Wills Alden says
I don't quite understand the 100% hydration issue....you say you use a 100% hydration starter, but use a 1:4:4 ratio of starter:flour:water....Isn't this inconsistent? I'm trying to revive a frozen starter (I was traveling for over a month so I froze it) and so I'm trying to reestablish a starter base in my refrigerator.
Irina Totterman says
Hello David, A 100% hydration starter means that the flour and water inside the starter are equal by weight. This describes the state of the starter itself, not the feeding ratio used to refresh it. The feeding ratio, such as 1:4:4, simply explains how much starter you begin with and how much fresh flour and water you add during feeding. As long as the flour and water are added in equal weights, the starter remains at 100% hydration after feeding, whether the ratio is 1:1:1, 1:2:2, or 1:4:4.
So when I say I use a 100% hydration starter fed at a 1:4:4 ratio, it means I start with some amount of the existing starter, add equal weights of flour and water, and end up with a starter that still contains equal parts flour and water by weight. There is no inconsistency here, just two different concepts describing two different aspects of how a starter is maintained.