Schedule I Parent Only Balance Sheets, Statements Of Earnings And Cash Flows (Statement Of Earnings) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating expense	$ (412,450,000)	$ (401,727,000)	$ (411,038,000)
Operating income (loss)	147,602,000	82,980,000	105,761,000
Interest expense	(89,145,000)	(93,254,000)	(101,885,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt			(46,962,000)
Other income (expense), net	565,000	506,000	567,000
Income tax expense	(1,855,000)	(1,128,000)	(1,241,000)
Net earnings (loss)	57,167,000	(10,896,000)	(43,760,000)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (loss) of Ferrellgas, L.P.	72,634,000	5,533,000	(10,950,000)
Operating expense	(20,000)	(350,000)	(358,000)
Operating income (loss)	72,614,000	5,183,000	(11,308,000)
Interest expense	(16,171,000)	(16,127,000)	(21,811,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt			(10,513,000)
Income tax expense	(17,000)	(8,000)	(16,000)
Net earnings (loss)	$ 56,426,000	$ (10,952,000)	$ (43,648,000)