I went to see my monsters and decided to cut the first small branches that grow right over the soil , those branches would never see the light anyway... And I thought it would give more hormones and stuff to the USEFULL branches above you know, like I would gain up there what I would lose down there.

But while thinking that, I wondered if cutting these small useless branches would give stress to the plants, like a very negative effect that would really stress flowering.

So is it damaging/stressfull to the plant?
Or is it good (even better) to the upper buds?

***They are at week 3-4 flowering, some 5, grown outdoors in soil and they are huge

Maybe a little stress was created but nothing to worry about. There is probably someone else who will have more info for you, I myself have never cut them off

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the plant suffers no stress if you cut those branches. if they dont get any light they arent producing anything. when you cut those branches all that energy goes elsewhere, where its needed

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my first question would be what is huge?
they will not recieve any hormones but lots more nutrients without the lower branches and suckers still attached.;)
i cut them off to have more airflow through the plants.

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i run mostly t.g.a.gear here.

not so true ileso. the plant DOES suffer stress from lower branch cutting, especially the father into flower you go. Now if this is a strong stable strain then you probably wont have any problems. And it is true it will divert energy where it really matters, which is good for making big buds right? the only problem you would have is if this is 'bagseed' basically an unstable strain. the more unstable, the more prone to go hermy. when you cut branches off plants, they think they are going to die....plain and simple. to put it in nature's context: when you take off branches, the plant thinks animals are eating them, or weather conditions are breaking them off.....thus they think they are dying. This is why the plants can suddenly start making seeds despite previously being shown female....they save their genetics by responding to danger with production of seeds. Its the circle of life ;-)

anyways, you are probably fine and dont have to worry at all, i just wanted to shed some more information on the subject. for future reference, its best to stop cutting side branches by about 4 weeks into flower. i try to stop 2-3 weeks in, but it all depends on your plants and what stage they are at. as a general rule i will trim side branches until the buds are about the size of a dime. after that time they are left alone to mature into full-on chronic nuggs :-)

good luck!

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The branches I cut were maybe like 1 percent of the plant so... And buds aren't really big

cool. i just never realy worry about that sort of thing munch.

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Huge like between 6 and 10 feet !