Two weeks to a starter that actually works
Every guide says a starter takes five to seven days. Mine took fourteen, and I nearly gave up twice.
Days one to five
Equal weights of wholemeal flour and water, stirred twice a day. Day two had bubbles. Day four smelled like old socks — apparently that is normal.
The quiet week
Then nothing happened for a week. Switching to feeding once a day at a warmer spot on top of the fridge was the fix.
Signs it is ready
It doubles within six hours of feeding, smells pleasantly sour, and a spoonful floats in water.