Segment Reporting Segment Reporting (Reconciliation of Consolidated EBITDA to Consolidated Net Earnings) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings	$ 36,220,000	$ 45,890,000	$ 89,422,000	$ 81,956,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	35,812,000	45,385,000	88,395,000	81,006,000
Income tax expense	917,000	1,677,000	1,448,000	2,391,000
Interest Expense	23,510,000		71,797,000
Depreciation and amortization expense	23,324,000	20,913,000	70,576,000	61,771,000
EBITDA	83,563,000		232,216,000
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Compensation Expense	8,566,000	3,710,000	16,728,000	10,389,000
Non-cash stock-based compensation charge	3,271,000		19,701,000	16,182,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal	2,203,000		4,578,000
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(212,000)		415,000
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0		(6,300,000)	0
Litigation Settlement, Expense	83,000		806,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Foreign Currency Derivatives, Net, before Tax	(1,609,000)		(1,609,000)
Net loss	408,000	505,000	1,027,000	950,000
Adjusted EBITDA	96,273,000		267,562,000
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings			1,027,000
Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings	40,404,000	50,053,000	101,676,000	94,086,000
Income tax expense	853,000	1,632,000	1,379,000	2,346,000
Interest Expense	19,476,000		59,695,000
Depreciation and amortization expense	23,324,000	20,913,000	70,576,000	61,771,000
EBITDA	84,057,000		233,326,000
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Compensation Expense	8,566,000	3,710,000	16,728,000	10,389,000
Non-cash stock-based compensation charge	3,271,000		19,701,000	16,182,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal	2,203,000		4,578,000
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(212,000)		415,000
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0		(6,300,000)	0
Litigation Settlement, Expense	83,000		806,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Foreign Currency Derivatives, Net, before Tax	(1,609,000)		(1,609,000)
Adjusted EBITDA	96,359,000		267,645,000
General Partner [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings			884,000
General Partner [Member] | Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings			1,027,000
General Partner [Member] | Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member] | Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net loss	$ 408,000		$ 1,027,000