I fear I might have killed my starter by using a spoon fresh off the dishwasher to mix in one of the last feedings. I have fed it twice after that and it won’t grow or bubble up or… like, budge. Three days have passed. Should I throw it out?
You’re fine. There’s almost always a period during the early stabilization of the culture where you think it’s dead because it isn’t bubbling high. That’s just because the less competitive microbes are dying out and the ones you really want are starting to out compete them.
There is no way the amount of residue on a spoon is going to kill off a culture. At worst, it would slow things down until the next feeding.
Brand new rye + water should start bubbling like crazy in like 48 hours at room temperature.
Thank you! I shall be patient and persist.
