Sourdough starter won't start

[Bensmommy]

OK, I've been trying for over a week to get a sourdough starter going- no luck! I'm in FL and my house is always between 70-77degrees F, so temp shouldn't be an issue plus I have it sitting next to my salt lamp, so it's a little cozy-er than other places. I'm trying it ala Wild Fermentation. After about 5 days without "bubbling" I added some active yeast from a package- no bubbles. Then I added more yeast- still no bubbles.

Should I pitch it and try again? Any ideas where I went wrong? BTW I was using organic spelt flour.

Thanks!

[desertpenguin]

how cold is it outside over there? when i did sourdough, it was slow to start and it helped to put cheesecloth over the container and place it on the back porch to catch some yeast. if you used fresh flour and chlorine-free water it should be going soon, i would think.

[Bensmommy]

Well, it's 65deg. F here right now, so I'm not sure outside would be warm enough. It will be in the mid 70's tomorrow, maybe I'll try then.

[guestmama9904]

funny you should post this- i too am useing the recipe from wild fermentation and i too ended up resorting to adding some fleishmans yeast in a desperate attempt to make it happen! plus i started it using a friends great bubbling sourdough starter, what gives? its been 6 days, i keep mixing it up and nothing.

[desertpenguin]

i dunno, i think that perhaps wintertime is not the ideal time to start a sourdough because there would be less active yeast in the air. summertime, it's warmer and everything is in bloom, etc.

[Ruthla]

I started mine with rye flour and it worked great. I read somewhere that rye flour has a higher level of natural yeasts dormant on the flour itself. Not that I can have grains at all right now, but when I could the sourdough worked great.