Petey’s kitchen notebook / Sourdough

A little flour.
A rhythm of your own.

Feed your starter, notice what changes, and make a plan that fits around your day.

“I like a small note I can come back to: what I fed, when I fed it, and what happened next.” — Petey

01 / Flour, water & a little starter

Give the numbers
a place to settle.

Ratios here mean starter : flour : water, by weight. Choose how much starter to keep or the total mix you want to make.

Your feeding, in grams

100g total mix

Keep starter: 20 g
Add flour: 40 g
Add water: 40 g

Resulting hydration: 100%

The bar compares ingredient weights, not jar volume or rise. Values are rounded to 0.1 g.

“A smaller jar can still have a useful routine. I’d rather keep a note than try to remember it all.”— Petey

This is weight arithmetic, not a promise of when a starter will peak. Use an established starter and a suitable care method; a new starter needs its own development routine.

A little attention goes a long way

Look at the starter.
Keep a note of the rhythm.

After feeding

Mark the starting level on a straight-sided jar and record the time and feed weights.

As it rises

Notice bubbles and a change in volume. Record the conditions rather than expecting a universal timetable.

Near its high point

Compare the current level with your starting mark. A rise followed by slowing activity can help you recognise the cycle.

As it recedes

A falling level records a later stage in the cycle. Note when it happened to help plan your next observation.

Observation cues are not a safety test or a guarantee of baking readiness. Read King Arthur’s explanation of ripe starter and building quantities ↗

02 / The starter journal

A record worth
coming back to.

Keep the feed weights and your observations together. Each entry copies the calculator’s current quantities.

Your recent entries

A first feeding.
A first little note.Your journal is empty.

03 / Make room in your day

A feeding rhythm,
on your calendar.

Choose the rhythm that suits your starter’s care method. Preview the dates and download check-ins with optional reminders.

Your calendar preview

A little space
for your starter.Build your plan to see the dates here.

Import the file into your calendar and check its time zone and alert settings. Times use the local clock in that calendar. Reminder delivery depends on the calendar app; this website does not send alerts when closed. Exporting again may create duplicates in some apps.

Keep learning / Sources

A useful routine starts
with understanding it.

An established starter’s feeding routine depends on its storage and activity. Refrigerated maintenance is different from preparing a ripe starter for baking. Keep enough starter back to maintain the culture when building a batch for a recipe.

Reference notes checked 7 September 2026. Tools provide arithmetic, record-keeping and scheduling. They do not diagnose starter safety or certify readiness. Petey’s personal notes are draft editorial voice copy.

Equipment to consider

Choose for the way you use it.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These are researched product options, not hands-on test results. Check the exact model, current price and availability on Amazon.

Model matched · suitability first

Lodge 5-quart cast-iron Dutch oven

A covered cast-iron pot to compare for bread baking. Check loaf size, oven clearance and the manufacturer’s handling and temperature instructions.

View on Amazon ↗

Model matched · suitability first

OXO Good Grips 11-pound kitchen scale

A kitchen-scale candidate for weighing flour and water. Check minimum increments and capacity; very small yeast quantities may need a finer scale.

View on Amazon ↗

Compare before you choose

Match the task and setup before considering price. These notes are editorial research, not performance scores.

Product option	Fit and limits to check
Lodge 5-quart cast-iron Dutch oven	A covered cast-iron pot to compare for bread baking. Check loaf size, oven clearance and the manufacturer’s handling and temperature instructions.
OXO Good Grips 11-pound kitchen scale	A kitchen-scale candidate for weighing flour and water. Check minimum increments and capacity; very small yeast quantities may need a finer scale.