Pruning lower branches is not a bad idea at all BUT you should do it before you get buds on them... ideally about a week or more before initiating 12/12. this will give the plant time to repair/recover. And you can use the pruned bits for clones.

As for fan leaves... leave them. Even though they might not be getting a ton of light, they serve as repositories for mobile nutrients such as Nitrogen, which the plant will tap into as it nears the end of its life cycle.
stinkyattic Reviewed by stinkyattic on . Cutting lower branches About 31 days into flower now. I was wondering if it would be okay to cut some of the lower brances or even just a few buds that are not recieving much light if that would be harmful to the overall development of the plant with respect to the cola buds. Thanks for any advice Peace Rating: 5