Pruning a climbing rose

Tom68

Can someone give some advice on pruning climbing roses (or point me in the direction of a good book for it). I bought this rose last year and want to train it up the wall and then over the doorway with flowers from as close to the base upwards. I’m not sure how to prune it though. I seem to have lots of thin stems from the bottom which are starting to cross so I know I need to sort that out. I’m tempted to cut the newer, thinner ones off instead of tying them in, so I just have one or two bigger stems but I’m worried I’ll end up just having stems with no leaves/flowers going up the wall. Or can new leaves/flowers sprout from the sides of old stems? 

Loxley

Your pruning ideas sound reasonable but honestly it looks a little drawn; it wants to get up to the light! 

amancalledgeorge

I'm a bit concerned about growing it in a pot...so many climbers and ramblers are too vigorous to grow successfully in pots. What cultivar is it? 

Tom68

Thanks. It’s a madame alfred carriere. There is a tree in front but that’s going to be pollarded so more light will get at the Rose. 

amancalledgeorge

Thanks @Tom68 you may want to read this previous thread: https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/989371/madame-alfred-carriere-in-a-container

Tom68

Thanks @amancalledgeorge that post was very useful. Message about taking it out of the pot is loud and clear! I shall do that. The training as an ‘S’ because flowers only come from horizontal stems was interesting too, so I’ll do that.

It would be great to have a book showing the structure of different plants to help with pruning/training etc. 

amancalledgeorge

Agreed @Tom68 there are lots of YouTube videos and website with instructions, but sometimes a well illustrated reference book is preferable.