Lining should be based on plant spacing and planting density to be adopted. Rubber can be planted by adopting square or rectangular planting system. Square planting is suitable for level and near level lands. Rectangular system can be adopted in flat lands and slopes. In rectangular planting the lines should be oriented in the East West direction to intercept maximum sunlight. Contour lining is done in undulating and hilly areas where the slope exceeds 8 per cent. Here the planting points are marked as lines passing through points of the same elevation. The planting density recommended is 420 to 500 plants per ha in the case of buddings or plants proposed to be field budded and 445 to 520 plants per ha in the case of seedlings. Higher initial stand is recommended for allowing proper thinning out.
Pitting is necessary to provide an ideal medium for the proper growth of the young rubber root system. The standard size of the pit is 75cm x 75cm x 75cm. The size of the pits varies depending upon the planting material to be used. Stumped buddings need comparatively deeper and larger pits. Smaller pits are sufficient for small and medium sized polybag plants. On economic consideration in deep, loose and friable soils, pits are sometimes dug wider at the top and tapering towards the bottom or the depth is reduced to 60 cm with a central crow bar (alavango) hole of 15 cm or more depth for taproot. But in hard, stony and compact soils, the pits should be widened. Pitting should be started sufficiently early and filling should be completed well in advance of planting so that the filled soil will get sufficient time to settle. While digging, the topsoil is kept on one side and the subsoil on another side. Filling should be done with the top fertile soil as far as possible. The organic manure and phosphatic fertilisers applied to the pits should be mixed with the top 20 cm soil in the pit. The pits should be filled to about 5 cm above ground level. A peg is placed in the centre of the pit to locate the planting point.
Tractor - mounted hole digging machines are increasingly utilised for pitting. Machines which dig pits of 60 cm diameter and upto 90 cm depth are now available.