Segment Reporting - Reconciliation of Segment Earnings to Consolidated (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2019	Apr. 30, 2019	Jan. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018	Jan. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Jul. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Jan. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2019	Jul. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net loss	$ (71,037,000)	$ 20,461,000	$ 43,344,000	$ (57,015,000)	$ (215,684,000)	$ 10,861,000	$ (1,843,000)	$ (47,915,000)	$ (55,768,000)	$ 6,536,000	$ 38,098,000	$ (43,073,000)	$ (64,247,000)	$ (254,581,000)	$ (54,207,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)													323,000	(2,678,000)	(1,143,000)
Interest expense													177,619,000	168,467,000	152,485,000
Depreciation and amortization expense													78,846,000	101,795,000	103,351,000
EBITDA													192,541,000	13,003,000	200,486,000
Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge													5,693,000	13,859,000	15,088,000
Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge													0	0	3,298,000
Asset impairments							10,000,000						0	10,005,000	0
Loss on asset sales and disposals													(10,968,000)	(187,399,000)	(14,457,000)
Other income, net													369,000	928,000	1,474,000
Severance costs													1,600,000	1,663,000	1,959,000
Legal fees and settlements related to non-core businesses													18,364,000	6,065,000	0
Unrealized (non-cash) losses (gains) on changes in fair value of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments													0	1,293,000	(3,457,000)
Multi-employer pension plan withdrawal settlement													1,524,000	0	0
Exit costs associated with contracts													0	11,804,000	0
Net loss	(71,672,000)	20,760,000	43,875,000	(57,508,000)	(217,797,000)	11,062,000	(1,774,000)	(48,316,000)	(56,249,000)	6,691,000	38,528,000	(43,471,000)	(64,545,000)	(256,825,000)	(54,501,000)
Adjusted EBITDA													230,023,000	241,919,000	230,063,000
Non-Controlling Interest [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net loss													(298,000)	(2,244,000)	(294,000)
Ferrellgas, L.P. [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net loss													(29,517,000)	(222,146,000)	(29,059,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)													293,000	(2,699,000)	(1,149,000)
Interest expense													142,635,000	133,946,000	127,188,000
Depreciation and amortization expense													78,846,000	101,795,000	103,351,000
EBITDA													192,257,000	10,896,000	200,331,000
Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge													5,693,000	13,859,000	15,088,000
Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge													0	0	3,298,000
Asset impairments													0	10,005,000	0
Loss on asset sales and disposals													(10,968,000)	(187,399,000)	(14,457,000)
Other income, net													(369,000)	(928,000)	(1,474,000)
Severance costs													1,600,000	1,663,000	1,959,000
Legal fees and settlements related to non-core businesses													18,364,000	6,065,000	0
Unrealized (non-cash) losses (gains) on changes in fair value of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments													0	1,293,000	(3,457,000)
Multi-employer pension plan withdrawal settlement													1,524,000	0	0
Exit costs associated with contracts													0	11,804,000	0
Net loss	$ (62,874,000)	$ 29,554,000	$ 52,617,000	$ (48,814,000)	$ (209,134,000)	$ 19,840,000	$ 6,847,000	$ (39,699,000)	$ (47,614,000)	$ 15,395,000	$ 42,600,000	$ (39,440,000)	(29,517,000)	(222,146,000)	(29,059,000)
Adjusted EBITDA													$ 230,037,000	$ 242,056,000	$ 230,202,000