Pruning climbing roses
In the spring of 2014 I planted 3 Arthur Bell climbers (pot grown) and during that year they produced strong shoots about 10 feet long. These I tied horizontally to produce a fan shape to encourage side shoots. This year they produced numerous side shoots 4 - 5 feet long and masses of flower clusters; these I pruned back after flowering - some right back to the main, others by 2/3rds (I'm learning with climbers, still feeling my way). From the mains the rose has gone on to produce further, and lots of them (masses) side shoots over 10 feet in length! Alas, no flowers on these - so why not?
Up until last week, new growth on new side shoots was still being made.
I've now taken out the remaining 1/3 of the first secondary growth (keep up at the back!) and trained the second secondary growth in a horizontal fan, but am I doing right?
This is a magnificent rose (the whiskey's not bad either) -probably the best ever and it has a superb perfume which is an unexpected bonus.
The sites for all three were very carefully prepped - duge deep down; lods of very old leaf mould (black gold) and well fed: they share there sites with clematis which I feed with chicken pellets.
West facing and growing up an elevated balcony.
Sorry this is a long one.
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You do need to give some of the side shoots time to produce flower buds, I think you may be cutting too early. Second flushes do take time to come, but patience is the key, a good feed after the first flush usually quickens the production of a second flush and roses will go on producing flowers right into the early winter depending on temperature. Never be too hasty to cut back, even if it seems out of control as you can always leave the pruning to late winter. Pruning later gives you more mature stems which always produce more flowers next year.
Thanks to everyone. Just to clarify, it was the first secondary growth that I cut back after flowering, the second secondary I left and I wait in vain for flowers; these I shall not cut back - they have been trained espalier fashion.
If you tie the long shoots horizontally,which it sounds like you have done, they should produce side shoots which will grow vertically and flower next year. Don't pull them down too far or they might snap off.