Fresh Milled Sourdough Starter Maintenance: How to Keep Yours Lively and Happy

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Keeping your sourdough starter active doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little routine and a few smart habits, you can enjoy a vibrant starter that’s always ready to bake. Here’s how I manage mine.

1. Storage: Fridge-Friendly is Fine

I store my starter in the fridge and feed it 1–2 times per week, depending on my baking schedule. The cool environment slows down fermentation, so you don’t need to feed it daily unless you’re baking frequently.

2. Flour Blend: The Power of Rye

I feed my starter with a blend of half hard white wheat and half rye. Rye flour is rich in nutrients that help keep your starter lively and happy, while the hard white wheat keeps the flavor mild and versatile.

3. Feeding Ratios: Adjust Based on Activity

If your starter hasn’t been fed for over a week, I recommend a 1:1:1 feed (starter:flour:water by weight) to wake it up.

For regular maintenance, I adjust the ratios based on how much starter I need for baking:

• Sometimes 1:4:4

• Other times 1:8:8 or more

For a deeper dive into feeding ratios, check out our sourdough feeding ratios guide and use our free sourdough feeding calculator to simplify the math.

4. Starter Size: Keep it Lean

I keep a small, lean starter in the fridge—just 15–20g. This way, I don’t need to discard any, and everything I remove goes straight into baking.

5. Emergency Backup: Dehydrated Starter

Even with careful maintenance, things can go wrong. That’s why I highly recommend dehydrating a portion of your starter. When my starter died in March, I was able to revive it quickly from dried starter rather than starting over, saving time and stress.

Tip: Regular observation is key. Watch your starter’s rise, bubbles, and aroma — if it looks sluggish or develops off-colors, it may need a refresh or a backup plan.

Keeping your starter happy is mostly about consistency and observation. With these simple practices, you’ll have a reliable sourdough starter ready whenever inspiration strikes.