Contingencies And Commitments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010	Jul. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012 Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2010 Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate, 8.625%, Due 2020 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate, 8.625%, Due 2020 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate, 8.625%, Due 2020 [Member] Ferrellgas Partners Finance Corp. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate, 8.625%, Due 2020 [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Nov. 30, 2010 Fixed Rate, 6.75%, Due 2014 [Member]	Nov. 30, 2010 Fixed Rate, 6.75%, Due 2014 [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Nov. 30, 2010 Fixed Rate, 6.75%, Due 2014 [Member] Ferrellgas Finance Corp. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate, 6.50%, Due 2021 [Member]	Nov. 24, 2010 Fixed Rate, 6.50%, Due 2021 [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate, 6.50%, Due 2021 [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Nov. 24, 2010 Fixed Rate, 6.50%, Due 2021 [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Fixed Rate, 6.50%, Due 2021 [Member] Ferrellgas Finance Corp. [Member]	Nov. 30, 2010 Fixed Rate, 6.50%, Due 2021 [Member] Ferrellgas Finance Corp. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Transportation Equipment [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Transportation Equipment [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Property And Equipment [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Property And Equipment [Member]	Jul. 31, 2010 Property And Equipment [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Property And Equipment [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Property And Equipment [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]	Jul. 31, 2010 Property And Equipment [Member] Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]
Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]
Payment for legal claims	$ 10,000,000				$ 10,000,000
Senior notes, principal amount											280,000,000										500,000,000
Principal amount of debt, commenced offer to exchange																				500,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year									2020		2020	2020	2014	2014	2014		2021		2021	2021	2021
Debt redeemed									98,000,000	98,000,000	98,000,000	98,000,000	450,000,000	450,000,000	450,000,000	500,000,000		500,000,000
Prepayment premium for early extinguishment of debt		(46,962,000)	(20,716,000)			(36,449,000)	(17,308,000)
Make-whole payments									8,400,000	8,400,000	8,400,000		11,100,000	11,100,000	11,100,000
Debt instrument, interest rate											8.625%				6.75%					6.50%	6.50%
Accrued interest		19,779,000		19,945,000		17,773,000		17,938,000	2,400,000		2,400,000				2,400,000
Transportation equipment lease expiration period																						5 years	5 years
Fair value of residual guarantees																						800,000	800,000
Residual value of leased assets																						3,700,000	3,700,000
Non-cancelable operating leases, expiration year																								2024			2024
Rental expense																								$ 31,700,000	$ 33,300,000	$ 33,700,000	$ 31,700,000	$ 33,300,000	$ 33,700,000