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Starter Feeding Calculator
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Feed your starter at night so it peaks by morning

Feed at 9:30 pm at 1:3:3 in a 70 °F kitchen and the starter peaks around 5:15 am to 9:15 am. The tool below does the same sum for your time, your ratio and your kitchen.

What do you know?

The starter left in the jar after you discard.

Weigh the jar, then subtract the empty jar. We use it to tell you how much to discard.

Feeding ratio (starter : flour : water)

1:3:3 means 1 part starter, 3 parts flour and 3 parts water, by weight.

Peaks in a half day. Good for a morning and evening routine. 1:1:1 versus 1:5:5

Your feeding

Show amounts in grams, ounces or cups

Feed 20 g starter, 60 g flour and 60 g water.

Starter
20 g
Flour
60 g
Water
60 g
Total after feeding
140 g

Discard

Type the weight of the starter in your jar to see how much to discard.

Keep 20 g of starter in the jar and discard the rest. Then add the flour and water. Ratio 1:3:3 by weight, 100% hydration.

Rough peak time

about 8 to 12 hours

At 70 °F. A guide only: your flour, starter and kitchen will change it. Watch the jar, not the clock.

Fed at 9:30 pm: peak around 5:15 am to 9:15 am. To be ready around 7 am, feed between 7:15 pm to 11:15 pm. You have about 10 hours to wait, and 1:3:3 fits.

Fine-tune

100% means equal flour and water. Used with the preset ratios.

Temperature unit

Used only for the peak time guide.

Clock times (optional)

Fill in one to see clock times for the peak. Fill in both to get a ratio that fits your night.

Flour mix (optional)

White flour (all-purpose or bread): 100%

The numbers

Fed at 9:30 pm: when the starter peaks, by ratio and kitchen temperature
RatioAt 68 °FAt 75 °F
1:2:24:30 am to 7:45 am2:45 am to 5:30 am
1:3:36 am to 10:15 am4 am to 7:15 am
1:5:58 am to 1:15 pm5:30 am to 9:30 am
1:10:1011 am to 5:45 pm7:45 am to 1 pm

Amounts use 100% hydration and white flour. Change hydration or the flour mix in the tool above.

How the clock times work

Enter the time you feed in the box named I feed at. The tool adds the peak range for your ratio and temperature. Enter the time you want the starter ready in I want it ready by, and it shows when to feed.

If you fill in both, the tool finds the ratio whose peak is closest to the hours you have. That is the answer to "which ratio should I use tonight".

Which ratio for a night feeding

A night feeding means 8 to 12 hours of waiting. In a 68 °F kitchen, 1:5:5 or 1:10:10 usually fits. In a warm 80 °F kitchen, 1:10:10 or even larger may fit better, because the starter ripens faster.

If you feed at 11 pm and want to bake at 7 am, you have 8 hours. Check the table above, then adjust for your own kitchen after one trial night.

Check it in the morning

The times are a guide. Look at the jar. A ready starter has a domed top, many bubbles and about double its starting height. If it already fell, use a larger ratio next time. If it has not risen, use a smaller one or find a warmer spot.

Quick answers

What time should I feed my starter to bake at 7 am?

Enter 7:00 am in I want it ready by. The tool shows a feeding window for your ratio and temperature. For 1:5:5 at 70 °F, that window falls in the evening.

What if my starter peaks too early?

Use a larger ratio, such as 1:10:10, or keep the jar somewhere cooler. A smaller amount of starter in more flour takes longer to peak.

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