Sucker branches ARE nodes that will bud - but they are the ones at the bottom and inside the plant that won't get much light.
You can either cut them off now and just harvest once... this provides more energy to the buds at the top...
Or you can leave them on and harvest your plant in stages... just harvest the top (allowing more light to get to the smaller buds) and keep the plant in 12-12, harvesting the smaller buds when they develop a little more...
Or you can leave them on, harvest the plant once, and use the little fluffy buds to give to friends or make hash with.
I'm experimenting with all three methods at this point...